To Bear The Brunt Or The Beast
by risingfallback
Summary: Ikebukuro is a big city - a lonely city. And for Shizuo and Mikado, that's just all the more reason for them to be together, even when everything - the city, their lives, each other - are falling apart
1. Chapter 1

For those of you who follow the kinkmeme over on LJ, you may have seen this. In case you haven't, the prompt I took up was Shizuo/Mikado, with the kink being Mikado crying. Of course, that's not all there is, but that's just the prompt.

There will be: underaged sex, so if you don't like that, you can skip it.

Also: I have edited bits and pieces here and there from the version on LJ, so if you see that stuff has been changed, it is because this is the updated version. Nothing of great value to the plot was changed though.

Other than that: I don't own DRRR!

* * *

><p>Ikebukuro was loud. Ikebukuro was bustling. Ikebukuro was lit-up. Ikebukuro was-<p>

_It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!_

-not quite on his mind.

Mikado tossed his bag onto the ground, watching the contents fly out and splay before him. Stepping over his homework and graded tests, he sunk on the wall, propping one foot up on his knee. Pulling up the Raira uniform pants, he let out a low hiss. He'd seen the red stain gathering throughout the last couple hours of school, but he hadn't anticipated just how bad it was.

The skin from his lower thigh to his ankle was raw, spotted with blood here and there where the grit from the track had rubbed in and ripped his skin off. He let his hand hover over the worst of the damage, where a section of skin longer than his index finger had been peeled away. Screwing his face up with concentration, he touched it as gently as he could. The immediate surge of pain brought tears to his eyes. He tried to blink them back, but they poured out regardless, and after such a terrible day, he couldn't bring himself to care anymore.

"Stupid PE," he ground out.

His least favorite class had always been PE. He always managed to get beat at everything, always tripping, or getting winded, or getting hit in the face. One time he'd done _all three_. Masaomi hadn't let him off the hook for that for weeks, constantly bringing it up, especially to girls.

A fresh wave of pain brought his face to his hands, covering his tear-streaked face, sobs visibly shaking his whole body. Masaomi was still out there. _Somewhere_. He wasn't in Ikebukuro at any rate, the loud, bustling, lit-up -

_Hell_

Masaomi wouldn't have laughed at him today. Even some of the crueler kids in his class, those that had taken to bullying the first years out of their money, hadn't uttered even a stray giggle. The teacher, notorious for screaming out words of encouragement (words short of bullying) had been silent, until Mikado had groaned and tried to stand. Anri hadn't let him, not until she rolled him onto his back and saw the damage.

The only thing she had said to him was, "Oh Ryuugamine-kun..."

He slammed his head into the heel of his hand over, and over again, snot mixing with tears, stinging the scraped skin along his palm. It'd been stupid, been something Masaomi would have done, not him. But he'd tried it anyways, taking a running start.

Who couldn't make it over hurdles anyways?

He sniffled. What a horrible day it'd been. First, tangling with a hurdle and losing, and then breaking down in a park? It wasn't like his puppy died or anything! Not that he'd had a puppy, but the point still stood. This wasn't something to be so upset over. He tried to quit the tremble of his lip, the tears still pitter-pattering down his face to land in his lap. He'd had worse days than this!

Oh, who was he kidding, no he hadn't.

He lifted his head, rubbing his eyes. They were swollen, for sure, and he was certain they were red too, to match the scratches littered on his body. He sighed, looking at the mess he'd created around him. He'd have to bend and clean it all up, and that was going to hurt, and why was everything so damn painful...

The crackle of paper alerted him. He blinked up at a PDA shoved into his face, reading the text through blurry eyes. "Celty-san?"

[Are you okay, Mikado?]

He turned away. "I'm okay," he lied. Was that his voice? He scrunched up his nose. It was all nasally.

Celty managed to get her PDA back in his face. "No, really I am." Her fingers pounded against the keys before shoving the PDA back at him again. "No, I didn't get mugged. Or raped. Or kidnapped by aliens."

Celty's fingers typed a short [That's good] then [So what's wrong?]

He felt a blush creep up his ears. "I kinda fell in gym." He gestured towards his leg, his pant leg having fallen down to hide it earlier. He peeled the fabric back, watching as Celty become more and more flustered (every time she got really emotional, her whole body started wriggling, and her shadow would sometimes curl about.)

[You need to get that cleaned up, Mikado! It could get infected. You may even need stitches!]

"That's what Sonohara-san told me..."

[She's right, you know.]

"I don't have the money right now." He flinched. After everything with Masaomi, he'd spent money he didn't have on comfort food. He'd avoided the nurse, despite Anri's gentle prodding, just in case he did need stitches and she sent him to the hospital. Oh god, those things would hurt too!

[That's fine. I can get Shinra to patch you up for free.]

"He'd do that?"

[If he won't, I'll make him.]

For the first time all day, Mikado laughed. "Thanks Celty-san."

* * *

><p>The cat-eared helmet melted from his head as Celty parked her motorcycle. Kicking the kickstand out, her PDA glided out from her black catsuit, her shadows allowing her to type faster than any human, even Mikado. If he tried to type that fast, his fingers would die a <em>painful<em> death. They twitched.

[Did the bandage stay in place?]

"Huh? Oh yes. Thank you." On reflex, he looked down, though he couldn't see anything. Along with the helmet, Celty had wrapped his leg tight with a portion of her shadows, saying that letting it stay exposed would bring nothing but more grief. The pressure hurt, but the buffeting wind would have hurt more, he guessed. He fidgeted with the strap of his messenger bag, opening his mouth to add on to his gratefulness, but someone else broke in.

"SHIIIINRA-KUN!"

Mikado and Celty exchanged looks (as close as Celty could anyways) - then they simultaneously ran for the door, Celty reaching it first. She threw it open, abruptly stopping as soon as she entered the landing. Mikado tried to pause, but skidded into her, slamming into her back. He bounced, falling to the floor. His scratched palms practically screamed at him, throbbing. He lifted them up, blowing on them to stem the pain. Wincing, one eye open, he located Celty, Shinra and then...

Oh crap, was that Heiwajima Shizuo?

"Shizuo! Drop the fridge! You're scaring my beloved Celty."

Mikado stood up, scratched palms be damned. The last time Mikado had seen Shizuo he'd been punching the lights out of some poor man who'd managed to piss him off. The guy had flown into a _sky-scraper_.

All the way to the roof, if Kanra-san's information was reliable.

Celty typed out a message, then shoved the PDA into the blonde's face. Temple twitching, breath erratic, he nodded shortly, then with agility most humans weren't capable of, set the fridge down, scowl still intact.

"You could have killed me, Shizuo. Or worse, you could have harmed my lo-"

An elbow shot to the gut silenced the doctor. He gaped, then smiled wide. "-love."

If Celty were capable of expressions, Mikado had the hunch that she would be scowling just as deeply as Shizuo. While the fridge was on the floor again, he was still no less intimating. He was tall, much taller than Mikado, and he'd seen first-hand what he could do when irate. Mikado couldn't even run the full track without getting a little weak at the knees. He was a little jealous. Not enough to want his temper, however.

Celty must have asked Shizuo a question, because between scowls, he pointed a finger at Shinra and said, "He tried to dissect me, the sick freak!"

"Oh Celty, I would never! I just wanted to get a little bit of his blood, so I pricked him wi-"

"-He jabbed a needle in my ass!"

Mikado watched the two grown men argue, Celty flailing between them, trying and failing to get them to read her screen. An image of another trio, two boys and one girl, the two boys wrestling while the girl watched, flitted in his mind. He laughed, a melancholic edge to it. All three turned towards him, even Shizuo, mid-step in strangling Shinra, if the outstretched hands were any indication.

"What is Mikado-kun doing here?"

"Oh, uh, Celty said you could fix up, m-my leg."

Shinra frowned and stepped closer to him. "What part of your leg? What's wrong?"

"Celty-san said I'd probably need stitches because I- eek!"

Shinra chuckled as his hands were battered away. The doctor merely kept his hold on the boy's pants, Celty's shadow peeking out just the barest bit. He prodded at it with an inquisitive finger. "Looks like you're going to have to wait, Shizuo. Mikado-kun comes first!"

Mikado winced as he caught sight of the blonde edging towards the fridge again. Really, he was already getting stitches, what _else_ could go wrong?

* * *

><p>"You're going to have to take off your pants, Mikado-kun."<p>

_Just got worse._

"W-what?" All three adults in the room stared at him, surprised at the volume of his voice. He gulped, hating the way his knees started to shake. Shizuo was a lot scarier without his sunglasses and bartender uniform, especially when his eyebrows were lowered and a muscle near his mouth twitched. Mikado cleared his throat, squeaking out, "Why?"

"Your pants are going to get in the way." Shinra adjusted his glasses, stepping closer to him. "Don't worry, no one will take any pictures!"

Mikado hung his head. Pictures hadn't even entered his mind. "Do I really have to?" he mumbled.

Shinra laughed. "You really have to. But don't worry Mikado-kun, I'll patch you up like new."

Mikado gave a shaky smile, letting the doctor steer him towards an open door he hadn't noticed before. "Shizuo, don't touch my precious Celty!"

For his troubles, he got a pillow launched at his head. Mikado was just glad that Shizuo hadn't found anything to throw.

"Sit down over there," Shinra instructed, pointing to a long, low, padded table in the middle of the room. Mikado sat on the edge, looping his messenger bag up and over his shoulders, to rest at his side. The room was smaller than the others he'd seen in the apartment, but the floor-to-ceiling cabinets and the wheely chair Shinra had plopped himself into may have been the cause of that.

Mikado had only met Shinra once before, in the park. Celty had stopped him and Anri on their way home to ask them how they were. The bubbly doctor had burst into the conversation, earning a subtle jab from the Dullahan and more than a few curious looks from the teenagers. Mikado really only remembered the incident because Shinra had insisted on calling him "Mikado-kun" from the start, even clinging to him at one point and screaming to Celty that he wanted a child like him.

"You don't have to be afraid of Shizuo, Mikado-kun."

Mikado wanted to wipe the knowing look off of Shinra's face. He wouldn't, of course, so he blushed. "I don't mean to be..."

"He's a nice guy. Even with the temper." Shinra put on gloves. "Okay, take off your pants."

_Sounds like one of those pick-up lines from Masaomi._ Mikado did as told, blushing even harder as first his shoes were toed off, then his belt removed, then finally his pants hit the floor in a puddle of blue cloth. He scuttled back to the safety of the table, grabbing his bag and throwing it on top of his lap.

"So cute!" Shinra reached out and pinched both the boy's cheeks, squealing. "If Celty and I can't have children, we're adopting you, Mikado-kun!"

He chose not to comment. While Shinra called out to Celty to remove her shadow, he tried to force his blush down. He thanked whatever forces that be that Shizuo and Celty stayed in the other room, even as Celty's shadow detached from his leg and zoomed through the crack between the floor and the door. He didn't think he could look at Celty in the...look at her again, at any rate. And Shizuo was a whole other problem!

Shinra started examining him, running his fingers as light as the brush of butterfly wings against Mikado's skin. "I don't think you need stitches, luckily, but you are going to have to keep your leg bandaged up for a while. I suggest you don't participate in gym tomorrow."

Mikado groaned. "Sonohara-san will be all by herself then."

Shinra wheeled over to one of the cabinets, opening it up. Shoving his head in, he said, "She'll be fine by herself. You should worry more about yourself, Mikado-kun."

"What do you mean?"

Shinra uttered a soft, "Aha!" then pulled out from the depths of the cabinet. He wheeled back to the table, cotton swabs and disinfectant in hand. "Celty tells me that you've been acting recklessly since your friend left. I know it must be hard, but you can't let it get to you. He'll come back."

Mikado stared at the one section of blank wall. "Yeah..."

"You've known Kida-kun for a while?"

_Not Masaomi-kun?_ He nodded. "We grew up together," he offered. He kept staring at the wall.

"I've known Shizuo since primary school."

Mikado cringed as Shinra dabbed the disinfectant on. Despite his reservations, he just had to ask. "Was he always that strong?"

"Hm? Oh yes. But his body couldn't always handle it. He used to break bones on a weekly basis!" Shinra pulled back, squinting his eyes. "That looks good." He leaned in closer, swabbing Mikado's knee. He was so close, Mikado felt his breath fan across his wound. "He doesn't anymore, though his temper is still as short as it was then. Especially where Izaya is concerned."

"You're friends with Orihara-san too?" How could that work? Shizuo and Izaya hated each other!

"I'm the one that introduced them."

_No wonder they hate each other._ Mikado bit his lip, holding in his laughter. Thankfully, Shinra went back to the cabinet and didn't see him. The image of the trio as kids, Izaya and Shizuo bickering, and Shinra screaming out his approval was way funnier than it should have been.

Shinra patted his leg when he was finished. "Just make sure to change the bandages every day and keep the wounds clean."

"I will." He scrambled up, knocking his bag over. Blushing, he bowed down, with a rushed, "Thank you!"

"You should probably pull up your pants before you bow," Shinra offered, laughing. He kept his hands to himself for once, though Mikado could see them twitch in the man's lap.

Mikado did what he did best - blush.


	2. Chapter 2

"Who's the kid?"

[Ryuugamine Mikado.]

Shizuo's eyebrow arched up. "Funny name. How do you know him?"

He relaxed into the couch, stretching out both arms to fall atop the couch backing. He watched Celty contemplate his question, the way her fingers seemed to carefully spell out her words before she showed him her PDA.

"Leader of Dollars? You've gotta be shitting me. He looked like he was gonna cry!"

Celty shrugged. [He's having a rough time right now. And he's a lot smarter than you would think.]

Shizuo rolled his eyes in response. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." It was a good thing he didn't much care about who was in charge of Dollars. If he had, he probably would have flipped a lid at finding out that little more than a child was behind it. The kid was dinky, and the way his face had gleamed in the light spelled out he'd been crying earlier, and wanted to continue it, by the looks of it. Granted, Shizuo figured, his presence hadn't helped a bit. Particularly not when he was holding up a fridge as a weapon of mass destruction to launch at the guy who was supposed to patch the kid up.

"How are you and Shinra?"

He smiled as Celty started to quake. He never told her, but it was fun to watch her squirm in embarrassment. Kinda like watching a puppy wag its tail, or a kitten discover the wonders of catnip. [We're fine.]

Shizuo nodded, letting his head fall back. He closed his eyes. Celty was never demanding, never noisy - not that she could be - and rarely, if ever, set off his anger. She was like a bubbly version of Kasuka. Or something like that.

"I hope you didn't touch Celty, Shizuo, or I'll be very angry with you."

Shizuo cracked one eye open. The kid and that quack of a friend of his were back. He let Celty deal with Shinra - her jabs weren't on level with his, but Shizuo would bet an entire monthly salary that they hurt Shinra a lot more than he let on. He focused on the kid.

Mikado - that was his name right? - was on the scrawny side, with narrow shoulders, little to no muscle mass, and skin paler than most other Japanese. His hair was cut short, neat and ordinary. His face was delicate, and still shiny, but he walked with a little more confidence in his step as he followed Shinra's outstretched hand, taking a spot across from where he and Celty were sitting. He didn't much look at Shizuo, instead taking to rearranging his bag on his lap.

Shizuo snorted. What a great leader of Dollars.

"Alright Shizuo, your turn now."

He stood up, listening to his body protest. "I just wanted our yearbook, dammnit."

Shinra blinked. "That's all?"

Shizuo stifled the urge to throttle the brunette. Through clenched teeth, he said, "Yes, that's it."

"Why didn't you say so beforehand?"

"Because you were too busy trying to stick me with a needle."

"No need to hold a grudge, Shizuo."

Celty stood up, placing a hand against Shinra's chest. Without words, Shinra understood exactly what Celty said. It sent an uneasy feeling of envy through Shizuo. Most people ran screaming from him on a daily basis - made it hard to make relationships work. Celty and Tom were the only ones that calmed him, while Shinra and Kadota could infuriate him, though their companionship was worth the risk. Kasuka too, though he couldn't really say if brothers counted or not. Romantic relationships, those he suffered the most loss from. The closest he'd gotten to a relationship was the lady who'd given him milk as a child, and look at how that had turned out for him. He grit his teeth in mild annoyance, trying to ignore the building urge to punch something.

"I'll go look for them then, Shizuo. Why don't you sit down and talk to Mikado-kun?"

"Ah, Kishitani-san, he doesn't have to-"

"It's Shinra, Mikado-kun!" Shinra turned to Celty. "I told you we should adopt him. He's almost as adorable as you, Celty."

Shizuo snickered as Shinra was met with another jab. He didn't catch what Celty typed, but it seemed to be something good, judging from the expression on Shinra's face. He'd always been easy to read. He smiled when he was happy, frowned when he was upset, and pouted when he was in between emotions. Easy.

"Ah, it's okay, Celty-san. Ki-I mean, Shinra-san has been very nice." The boy stood up, politely bowing. "I think I should be going though. I still have homework to do."

"You don't want to stay for dinner?"

"No, no that's alright. I've imposed on you enough."

The kid was polite to a fault.

"Why don't you at least wait until Shizuo leaves, eh? He can walk you home, save you from the creepy guys that haunt the alleyways at night."

"Ah, no that's ok, I-"

"Who said I would walk him home, Shinra?"

Celty got in the middle of them again, fluttering between them. To Shizuo, she typed, [Mikado attracts a lot of bad attention. Even Izaya's.]

"The flea?" He gnashed his teeth again. Just the mention of the name was enough to sour the aftertaste of his afternoon milk. But what would that damn flea want with the kid?

[Izaya knows he's the Dollars leader too. And you know how he can be when he finds something interesting.]

He certainly did. Though he was on the bad side of interesting. Shizuo grunted, finally reaching a hand up to the back of his head to scratch at his scalp. "Fine, I'll walk the kid home."

* * *

><p>Yearbook tucked under arm, he started forward. Well, until the pitter-patter of footsteps reminded him that he had a guest. "Oi, kid."<p>

"Y-yeah?"

"Where do you live?"

Mikado - he really had to get better at remembering names, it was taking too long to recall them - pointed, then stepped forward. "I can make it on my own though, really Heiwajima-san. Kishitani-san was just trying to be nice."

"If I don't walk you back, Celty will get mad. She wants you safe." It was like watching a mother with their son. While Shinra tore through everything in the apartment to find the yearbook, Celty had made small talk between the other two occupants, and from the responses Mikado was giving her, it seemed like she was very curious about his well being. Maybe she wanted to adopt him like Shinra had suggested? Celty was nice and all, but he really didn't want to see what her and Shinra's kids would look like...

They walked in silence, Mikado striding forward with his short steps, leading the way. Shizuo felt naked without his sunglasses, even at night. For once, he hadn't donned the infamous bartender uniform and shades, opting for a simple button up shirt and track pants. He caught less stares that way, and since he wanted a quick trip to Shinra's, he thought it had been a good choice. He had even left his smokes at home. Without anything to fidget with though, the silence was starting to get on his nerves. He wasn't used to this at all. Scouring his mind for a topic, he picked upon the most obvious.

"Oi, you go to Raira?"

"Oh, uh, yes." The boy almost fell over in shock. Shizuo supposed the question did come from completely no where, so overlooked it. Most people would have been terrified with just being within a few meters of him, let alone carry on a conversation with him.

"What year?"

"Second."

"I went there too, you know." God, was it awkward making small talk. Celty made it look easy...minus the typing. She always gave the impression of listening thoroughly, and asked the right questions at the right time. He mused that's why he always went to her.

They walked in silence again, Shizuo irritated at his social skills. Even Kasuka, stoic extraordinaire, was able to keep up a conversation, before the fame even!

"If you don't mind my asking, Heiwajima-san-"

"-Shizuo-"

The boy continued on "-is that a Raira yearbook?"

"Yeah. What of it?"

The kid flushed. From the tips of his ears, across the bridge of his nose and everything. It was kind of cute, like Celty's fidgeting. Slap a pair of bunny ears on him, and the kid could work in one of those weird "moe" cafes Kadota's weird friends liked.

"I was just wondering why you needed Kishitani-san's if you graduated in the same year."

"I threw mine out." _Or at, rather._ Stupid flea.

"Oh."

_Great job, Shizuo._ The blonde awkwardly caught up to the squirt, matching his strides with ease. "Uh, sorry."

The boy blinked, reminiscent of Shinra for a few seconds. Maybe they really _should_ adopt him. "For what? I'm the one prying into your time and life." He gripped the handle of his bag, the unmarred skin of his knuckles turning white.

"I know I'm not the greatest talker." His own face flared with red, and he scratched at the back of his ear. God dammnit, why he was so awkward? He was already twenty-four, not sixteen and gangly anymore. "You seem nice enough, kid, I don't want to scare you."

"Y-you don't scare m-"

He shot a glare that made hardened criminal's knees shake.

"O-okay, just a little bit scared," he admitted, his voice cracking. He stopped walking, turning to face Shizuo straight on for the first time. His eyes were so wide, almost girly-like, and really blue. Shizuo almost felt envious - his eyes were a dull brown, and certainly didn't shine like Mikado's were. "But you've been very nice to me this entire time, s-so I'll try not to be afraid anymore."

Shizuo couldn't stop his laugh from exploding forth. It startled Mikado but he soon smiled, a reserved smile that Shizuo thought suited him. It went well with the shy exterior he had going on. "Thanks, kid."

"Y-you can call me Mikado."

His eyebrows shot up. His fingers itched to grab a cigarette, but he didn't have any. He tried to calm the twitching. This was new. This was really new. This was new and weird, and out of place and -

_Nice_

The kid toed at the ground, eyes on everything but Shizuo. "You don't have to, of course."

He tested it out in his mind._ Mikado-san. Mikado-kun. Mikado-kun?_ He formed the syllables with his lips silently, liking the way it sent a bolt of affection through him. It was like when Tom had made him try out his first name, or when Celty had first spelled out Shizuo all those years ago. "Mikado-kun?" The boy smiled, egging him on. "Mikado-kun it is then."

Maybe it was a good thing he'd been lonely, because _Mikado-kun_ was really starting to grow on him.

* * *

><p>"This your place?"<p>

"Yes."

"It's a dump."

Besides him, Mikado shrugged, sheepish smile and a blush on his face. "It's the only place I could afford."

Shizuo shook his head. The stairs were rickety, no paint to speak of. He was half afraid that if he stepped on it it would snap under his weight. And that was just the entrance. What would the inside look like?

"Can I come in?"

He watched Mikado fumble for words._ Yup, just like Celty._ "It-it's not clean, but if you want to, you can."

He dipped his head. "Ah, I would."

Mikado lead the way up the stairs. Shizuo placed his foot cautiously on the first step, testing it. Mikado was a good bit smaller than him, he couldn't trust that it would hold him just by Mikado being able to get up them. The step held and he ended up walking up the stairs without a hitch. Ahead of him, Mikado searched through his pockets until he located his key, pulling it from the depths of that bag he was always fiddling with. He unlocked the door, holding it open wide and gestured for him to enter. "Guests first."

Shizuo had to lower his head to enter, then blink to adjust to the darkness inside. He kicked his shoes off as Mikado flicked the light switch on, flooding the small apartment with light.

The place was cramped. There was a futon, a table, a small kitchen area and a living room, all in various stages of wear and tear. The kitchen looked like it was going to fall apart if he so much as looked at it funny, while ugly curtains were strung up along the homely concrete-like walls in the living room. The futon and the brand new PC seemed out of place with the decay run rampant surrounding them.

"Ah, sorry, I have no chairs to sit in."

"It's fine." He blinked down at the kid, who had finally toed off his shoes and worked the bag off, throwing it into the corner. Mikado was staring at him. Was he making a face or something? The level of concentration aimed at him made him shift uncomfortably. "You live alone?"

"My parents live back in Saitama."

"Why are you here then?"

"A friend asked me to come here for high school."

Shizuo clutched the yearbook closer. He ran a finger along the spine, tracing the engraved letters. "You must have a great friend then."

He noticed that Mikado didn't answer, just gestured to him. He sat on the floor, Shizuo following suit. "C..Can I look at your yearbook...Shizuo-san?"

"Yeah sure." He didn't find a need to keep it from him, after all, so he slid it across the floor, to fall in front of Mikado's face. He watched in silence as the teenager flipped through the pages, taking his time, his eyes darting across every piece he could find. Shizuo withheld a chuckle. He was so eager to learn and see and experience, it was all kinds of endearing.

After a time, Mikado lifted his head. Shizuo was surprised to see the biggest grin he'd ever seen the boy sport. "You look the same!"

He grunted, wordlessly pulling the yearbook closer to see. Blonde hair, brown eyes, somewhat irritated expression. His mother had been angry at the picture, but she had at least given him a "You look older than you really are," before shutting the yearbook he used to have closed. He hadn't mentioned that the flea had been making faces at him the entire time. Useless detail. He neglected to mention it this time, just agreed. Even in his first year of high school he looked pretty much as he did now.

Mikado flipped through the rest of the pages, commenting every now and again when he caught sight of Shizuo somewhere on the page. Shizuo was content to just watch. It was soothing, like his chats with Celty, or walking around the city with Tom. He didn't even feel the urge to smoke.

Finally, Mikado closed the book shut, passing it to Shizuo. "Thank you for letting me look."

"No problem."

"I didn't know you and Kadota-san were friends though."

"Oh? You know him too." No wonder Mikado had pointed out that shot of him, Shinra and Kadota.

"Masaomi-kun introduced him to me."

Why does that name sound familiar? "'Masaomi-kun?' What's the kid's surname?"

"Huh? Kida...Kida Masaomi...oh no."

Shizuo snapped.


	3. Chapter 3

_I had forgotten all about that!_ Mikado panicked, flailing as he watched Shizuo stand jerkily. How could he have forgotten that the Yellow Scarves blamed Masaomi for Shizuo getting shot? His breathing got heavier, and even louder when Shizuo grabbed hold of his collar, dragging him up onto his feet, then off his feet. He hung like a wet noodle.

"Did you say Kida Masaomi?" Shizuo was gritting his teeth, making it hard to understand him, but Mikado worked it out.

"He...he didn't get you shot, I promise!" He winced as Shizuo's finger nails dug past the fabric of his uniform to hit pale skin. "It's all a big misunderstanding!"

Shizuo glared at him. Mikado felt his lunch bubble in his stomach. And they were getting along so good before too! He wiggled, and Shizuo, eyes still narrowed, dropped him back to the floor. Mikado scrambled, his back resting against the table, his chest heaving and his eyes wider than he ever imagined they could go. Shizuo turned away from him, fists curled at his side.

"I know that."

"...what?"

Shizuo scratched the back of his head. "I know that," he repeated.

_But then why...?_

"I keep forgetting. His name just fills me with such anger! So...sorry about that."

Mikado held up his hands, shaking his head. "No, no it's perfectly alright, Shizuo-san!" _No it's not! It's scary!_ "I'm sorry about angering you."

Shizuo leveled a stare at him. "Mikado-kun, you didn't do anything. I just have to get a grip on my anger. I just don't know.. how..."

The Shizuo in front of him now wasn't gnashing his teeth. He wasn't screaming at the top of his lungs, or reaching for a sign post. He wasn't even frowning. To Mikado...he looked like he was...almost sad...

They stared at each a minute before Mikado stood. With a calmness he hadn't though he was capable of, he asked the question most prominent on his mind, "Do you want me to help?"

Of course, a second later, the calmness was gone and he was nervous and shy and embarrassed all over again, but it was better than being scared, he supposed, so he didn't even care that he was blushing, that Shizuo's mouth had fallen open in shock, or that his right hand was just hovering in the air without purpose.

"I like you Mikado-kun."

They shook hands and Mikado could just tell - his smile was wider than it had been in weeks.

* * *

><p>"You seem a lot happier Ryuugamine-kun."<p>

"Ah?"

She nodded.

He looked up at the sky. "I guess so."

He missed her smile. "So Kishitani-san fixed you up?"

"Yeah." Mikado rubbed his leg unconsciously. "He's nice...but a little weird. He kept going on about how he wanted to adopt us. Isn't that silly?"

She giggled, covering her mouth with her free hand. "I guess that's why Celty-san loves him so much."

"I wonder..."

The lunch bell rung, and they returned to their classroom, separated once again by the desks and their occupants. Mikado gave the lecture only a minimum amount of attention. Ripping a clean sheet of paper out of his notebook, he started in on his real work.

_**"How to Cure a Bad Temper"**_

Mikado knew little about tempers. He used to be described as a total pushover, incapable of real anger as a kid - still was, now that he thought about it. Of course, that wasn't true, but he just didn't react with the rage that most others did - and most certainly not at the level that Shizuo did. But he had said he would help, and if one thing about him was true, it was that he kept his word.

By the end of the day, he had amassed a simple list. He smiled as he placed it in his pocket, tenderly tapping it to make sure it was secure, then hoisted his bag up and over his head to rest on his shoulder. He joined Anri for their ritual walk home.

"Ryuugamine-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"Is that Heiwajima-san waiting at the entrance?"

He squinted. Through the shuffling bodies of blue, he could just make out the hint of black and white and purple, accompanied by the earthier tones of red and brown.

"Don't worry, Sonohara-san, he's here to see me."

If Anri was worried, she didn't voice it. She dipped her head and waved farewell, doing the same when she came upon Shizuo and his friend. From where he was, Mikado couldn't make out what Shizuo said to her, but as he got closer he heard Shizuo ask, "Who was that again?"

"Forever hopeless with names, huh Shizuo?"

"Shizuo-san?"

The blonde man turned, as did his companion. Mikado had seen the darker-skinned man with Shizuo more than once, and he seemed friendly enough. He even held his hand out to him. "Tanaka Tom."

They shook hands. "Ryuugamine Mikado."

Tom laughed. "Weird name."

Mikado shrugged, used to it. At least he didn't compare it to an AC...

"What are you two doing here?"

"Shizuo insisted that it was top priority to be here when you got out of school, so I wanted to tag along and see what had caught his interest so much. Shizuo rarely asks to leave work early, you know."

The blonde grunted. Mikado couldn't tell but he got the impression that Shizuo was embarrassed.

"Imagine, to my surprise, that he's meeting a high school boy! I thought Shizuo had finally scored a date. No offense, I hope."

"None taken."

"Oi, are you two just going to gossip about me here?"

"No one is stopping you from joining the conversation," Tom replied.

Shizuo rolled his eyes. _They must be good friends_, Mikado thought. Tom was unafraid of teasing Shizuo, and likewise, Shizuo seemed to genuinely get along with the shorter man, taking his teasing in stride, and even offering his own in exchange. Wistfully, Mikado thought of his relationship with Masaomi.

Eventually, Tom waved goodbye, disappearing among the hoards of students that were still departing. Shizuo started walking, so Mikado followed, taking longer steps than usual to keep up with Shizuo's pace. "How was your day, Shizuo-san?"

"Fine. Managed to keep the fatalities down."

At Mikado's horrified face, the man smirked. "It was a joke, kid."

"O-oh."

"So how was your day?"

"Oh...fine, I guess." He dug around in his pocket, extracting the paper he had been working on. He handed it over, explaining, "I came up with this list to help with your anger."

Behind the shades, Shizuo's eyes took in the writing. Puffing a cigarette, he took his time. When the last ashes had fallen, he said simply, "Good," and handed the paper back.

* * *

><p><em>This is a disaster.<em>

"This isn't working, kid."

Mikado sighed, reaching out to grab his pen, scribbling out the last of his plan. None of his tips had helped. Shizuo's anger was still as prominent as before. Exercising his anger off didn't help - he could run for hours and not be tired. Likewise, writing, meditating, and chanting a mantra didn't help either - the last one, in fact, just made him hyper. The list was unreadable, everything having been crossed out. Mikado rubbed at his temples, then pushed aside the paper. Obviously, Shizuo was going to need something more than a few tips from a teenage boy.

Next to him, Shizuo sipped at his milk. Mikado still found it funny that the man refused everything but milk - he now kept a surplus of it in stock, since the blonde tended to show up at all kinds of hours unannounced, despite having Mikado's cell phone number. The two weeks they had been working together had been littered with Mikado trying to help, and Shizuo asking questions about Mikado's own life. While he avoided talking about Masaomi, all other topics were of interest to him, and Mikado found that Shizuo was actually a rather good listener. He let Mikado ramble without interrupting, and didn't seem to mind when Mikado's stories were boring. It reminded him of those nights, back in Saitama, when Masaomi would sneak into his house late at night and they would talk for hours. It left a pleasant tingling feeling in his stomach.

But despite all that, Shizuo's temper was still a problem. Though he hadn't snapped at Mikado since the last time, he was still launching stop signs and anything else into the air on a regular basis.

"I'm sorry, Shizuo-san. I don't know what else to do. I even looked up tips online and none of them seemed to work."

He took another swig of milk. "I've been this way for a long time - it's possible I'm just set in my ways."

"You sound like an old man," he teased.

Shizuo laughed. Without his glasses, Mikado could see his eyes light up in that familiar way, while his smile was contagious.

He was about to say something else when he heard a knock at the door. "Excuse me." He stepped over Shizuo, then called out, "I'm coming," to the person at the door. They didn't say anything back.

"Hello?" He opened it - then promptly shut it.

"Mikado-kun, how could you? My feelings are hurt."

Mikada groaned, watching a cigarette snap, fall to the ground, and a blonde flash dart towards the door.

* * *

><p>"Izaaayyaaa-kun!"<p>

He tried to get to the door, but Mikado had flattened himself against it. "Mikado, move."

"N-no."

"Ah, is Mikado-kun protecting me from the big bad Shizu-chan?~ How thoughtful!"

"God dammit, just let me hit him, just once." He didn't want to pull Mikado away - he was at least that controlled, this time. But what the hell was Izaya doing here, in Ikebukuro, and at the kid's apartment of all places?

_[Mikado attracts a lot of bad attention. Even Izaya's. Izaya knows he's the Dollars leader too. And you know how he can be when he finds something interesting.] _

How could he have forgotten? To be fair, Mikado was unassuming - no one would guess he was the leader of the biggest gang in the city, that was the beauty of it. But Izaya, Izaya knew, and from the looks of it, this wasn't the first time the annoying flea had come upon Mikado. A new level of anger spiked within him, but again, he didn't want to move Mikado. The poor boy was clawing at the edges of the door frame, anything to keep the blonde from tearing it apart and getting to the nuisance on the other side. Was he protecting Izaya? No, he couldn't be...right?

"I just wanted to drop by and see how you were Mikado-kun. Imagine my surprise when I hear Shizu-chan's voice. Are you cheating on me, Mikado-kun?~ After all I've done for you?"

Stupid, irritating, annoying...cheat? What?

"What are you talking about flea?" He moved in closer, his chest coming to rest against Mikado, while his hands laid flat against the wood - the smaller boy's face was about level with his shoulders, give or take. He didn't fidget or protest, so Shizuo didn't bother to back off. "Cheat? What are you on?"

* * *

><p>His laugh filtered in, just as obnoxious as ever. "Dear Shizu-chan, stupid as ever I see. Don't you know how <em>precious<em> Mikado-kun is to me? He's practically like a...well, why should I tell you? I think even you can fill in the blanks, neh?"

Shizuo gnashed his teeth together, letting his control slip for a second as he pounded against the door, just enough to make the hinges creak in protest. "You better leave soon, flea, before I get a hold of you."

"Ah, are you jealous? Have you developed feelings for the super moe-moe Mikado-kun too? How scandalous!"

"I...I think Orihara-san should leave!"

Looking down, Shizuo's breath caught. Mikado's face was completely red, not a spot untouched by his blush. His green and white track sweater had inched upwards, revealing pale, pale skin that looked soft to the touch. But it was the way that Mikado's eyes looked that really got his attention, the way they shined as he looked straight into Shizuo's eyes, full of dedication and unspoken words that stole Shizuo's right from his mouth.

Now he understood why he was the leader of Dollars.

"Abandoning me for the likes of Shizu-chan? I see how it is. Well, I'll drop in on you later then, Mikado-kun." The flea's voice got deeper, more ominous as he said, "For a price of course," before his footsteps were heard shaking the stairs as he left.

Shizuo, for once, wasn't filled with the sadness that usually came with Izaya leaving intact. Instead, he was glad that the informant had left.

He had finally found something that lulled his temper.


	4. Chapter 4

And this is where the M rating comes in. If you don't want to read this part, just scroll and read the bottom section :)

* * *

><p>"Sh-Shizuo-san?"<p>

He couldn't move. He tried - his limbs were frozen in spot, caging Mikado in, the boy looking up at him with a perplexed face. He kept staring down, trying to figure out the emotion that was moving through him like a lightning strike.

"Kid?" Why was his voice hoarse? He'd yelled a lot louder than that, for longer than that. He cleared his throat, his hands sliding down the weathered wood to rest just above Mikado's shoulders, framing the boy's face. He tried again. "Kid?"

"Y-yes?"

"Do you like Izaya?"

Those blue eyes widened, then turned to the side. "He's interesting."

Shizuo slammed his hands against the wood, startling Mikado. "What do you mean, 'interesting?'"

"He's not a good person, but I don't hate him, so he's just...interesting."

That's what he meant? He felt sorry for scaring him. He told him as much. And as usual, the teenager forgave him, without even thinking about it.

_Because he was a good kid_

And what was he? A twenty-four year old superhuman, capable of launching hundreds upon hundreds of pounds miles into the air, if he wanted to? A temperamental social screw up?

Or was he, as the kid seemed to think, just 'Shizuo-san?'

"Shizuo-san?"

He shook his head, the tips of his dyed hair slapping Mikado in the face. He just scrunched his nose at the feeling.

"Are you going to move? Orihara-san is gone already."

He should move, he knew, but he didn't want to. For whatever reason, his heart was beating faster and his face was getting flushed, and he felt like if he backed off, he would regret it for the rest of his life. Such was the way of being impulsive, he figured.

So impulsive, that he dipped his head down the couple of inches that separated him from Mikado, and kissed him.

Shizuo had kissed one person before, but that sloppy, misplaced kiss couldn't begin to compare. Not when Mikado tentatively started to respond, gripping onto Shizuo's shoulders like a lifeline, and he stood on tiptoe to ease Shizuo's back. Not when Mikado parted his lips, and let Shizuo take control. Not when Shizuo pulled back and Mikado whispered, "Please?" in that quiet voice that still cracked from puberty.

His impulses hadn't always lead him down the right roads, but sometimes they lead him to the right destination.

* * *

><p>Which just so happened to be Mikado's floor. God, the kid needed a bigger apartment. One that wasn't as ugly as one of his fights with Izaya.<p>

He hovered over the dark haired male. Mikado's sweater had, once again, flown up to reveal his stomach. Curious, Shizuo prodded the material, ignoring Mikado's prude cries, and let his fingers brush against the newly revealed skin. Huh. He never knew skin could be so...so soft! Enthralled with his discovery, he unzipped the sweater and flung it further open, not even thinking about why he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath. He teased the skin with light caresses. Even Kasuka's skin wasn't this nice!

"Shizuo...san?"

He retracted his hand. Dammnit, he could feel the heat rise in his face - and other places too. What kind of hold did Mikado have on him? "S-sorry. Was that-that too much?"

He should have known better. Everyone he'd ever liked had turned away from him, or been hurt by him. And they hadn't been underaged boys leading online gangs either. To think it would happen any differently...?

"No."

What was that?

Beneath him, Mikado stretched his neck, planting his own feather-light kiss upon Shizuo's lips. It was so brief, he almost thought he imagined it, save for the telltale blush and the warmth fading from him. "I want more."

"More?"

The kid smiled. Cheeky. "More."

Shizuo dipped his head and kissed Mikado again.

* * *

><p>He never thought he would kiss a male - never mind Heiwajima Shizuo! But here he was, Shizuo's tongue in his mouth, and his own hands dragging the bartender-suited man closer, closer, closer. Anri never elicited such responses from him, but in between puffs of breath he moaned, and was well area of the growing hard on he was sporting, the same predicament the blonde was facing. Weeks ago, Mikado would have never gotten hard for him, but now, he found that thinking of anyone else touching him, trapping him, kissing him, was a turn-off.<p>

The blonde was a bit awkward, like he was - Mikado guessed the temper had never endeared him to anyone else enough to have sex. That was okay though - he clutched harder to Shizuo. That just meant that the man was all _his_.

They pulled back again, and Mikado smiled shyly, his chest falling in tandem with Shizuo's. There was something erotic about the way Shizuo was looking at him, like he wanted to consume him or something. Mikado shivered. At least he knew that if he had to fall for someone, at least Shizuo was a much safer choice than the other men that had taken an interest in him. And much gentler than he had thought possible, discounting the few nips and brushes of teeth every now and then. He was also controlling his impulses better than Mikado had thought imaginable.

He lit up with the thought of, _I found what cures his temper_.

Mikado waited for Shizuo to go further, but the older man was content to just kiss him. Until, with a bolt of surprise, Mikado felt a tongue lap against his neck, while finger tips danced up from his navel, to settle on his chest. He let a little groan out, scrunching his legs together, praying he wouldn't come too soon because oh god, the tongue was swirling and hitting every last nerve on his neck, and was that finger getting closer to his nipple, oh god.

"Is this okay?"

He had the self control to nod, and that was enough. Shizuo continued to pepper his neck with kisses, while he tweaked one nipple, letting out a hoarse laugh when Mikado bucked up. Was pinching supposed to feel so good? Because another pinch of his nipple and the simultaneous crunch of his neck being bitten made him almost come right then and there.

"Shizuo."

The blonde looked at him.

"I want...I want..." Crap, he sounded like a drunk. He felt the familiar tinge of heat sear his cheeks as he worked to articulate what he wanted. Why was this so hard?

"I think I may get it."

Mikado blinked, feeling uncertainty crawl up through him as Shizuo stood up. For a second, he thought Shizuo was going to leave him, hard and lonely on his floor, but with a rush of relief he saw the blonde reach for the futon. He spread it out, taking care to avoid hitting the darker haired male, and then Mikado joined the blonde on it.

"Mikado. _Mikado_."

"Y-yes?" He couldn't keep the slight squeak from his voice.

"Are you sure - are you absolutely positive - that I'm - I'm the one you want?"

It was too embarrassing for him to just say yes, despite saying it not even twenty seconds ago. He nodded, teasing his lip with his teeth. Shizuo smiled, that bright smile that he had come to see only a few times since the anger management had started, that bright smile that instantly lit up his face, that bright smile that made Mikado want him to kiss him again and again and again.

"I think I like you a lot more than I had planned on, kid."

"Same."

They shared a brief laugh, then Shizuo did the unexpected once again.

"You're really light."

Mikado just blushed and made himself as comfortable as possible on top of Shizuo's lap.

* * *

><p>Mikado hid his face in Shizuo's neck, just breathing in and out. Shizuo held his back, rubbing circles with his fingers every now and then. Mikado took in a long breath - Shizuo smelled like cigarette smoke and the faint tinge that he had come to associate with Ikebukuro. He nuzzled Shizuo's neck, surprised when the blonde fidgeted. With his ear so close, he could hear everything, from the way his breath caught sometimes, to the beating of his heart. He smiled - repeating the action, he couldn't contain his own laughter as Shizuo burst out laughing, clutching onto Mikado for dear life.<p>

"Brat."

Mikado offered up a sheepish smile. Shizuo was far from angry, but he stopped anyways.

Shizuo leaned down and kissed him again. Mikado let him lead, let him force his tongue into his mouth, let him grip his bare skin as Shizuo completely stripped him of his jacket. The room was cold, but Shizuo was radiating a steady heat. Particularly in one spot. He bit back a groan as he fidgeted and come in direct contact with that heat.

He was the one to stop the kiss. "Shizuo-san?"

"Just Shizuo."

"Shizuo." Had he ever been happier at dropping an honorific? He didn't think so. "You're a virgin...right?"

The blonde froze. Without his sunglasses on, Mikado could take in the widening of his brown eyes, the way his mouth subtly dropped a bit lower than was normal. And of course, the way his jaw clenched as he said, "Of course I am. Stupid kid."

Mikado leaned up and with a forwardness he hadn't thought he was capable of, kissed Shizuo. The older man didn't have time to respond because soon after, Mikado enveloped him in the biggest hug he could muster, what with his arms not entirely wrapping around the man's chest. But it was comfortable. It was warm, and comfortable, and he wasn't going to let go because he was a _"brat"_ and a _"kid."_ And because Shizuo, Heiwajima Shizuo, one of the most feared men in Ikebukuro was _his._

"Uh, Mikado...?"

"Yeah?"

"You do know how, well, sex works...right?"

"Uh..."

What was he supposed to say? He'd seen a few images scattered on the internet that had been sex-related, but none had included two males. He shifted, trying not to think of that stupid growing need inside him to just let Shizuo have his way with him and be done with it all. Shizuo seemed to know something, at least...but how embarrassing! He'd been outed as a total prude/virgin. (He silently thanked the gods for Masaomi not hearing that thought. The blonde would never let him live it down.)

He scoured his mind for anything, anything sex related at all. "I know about blowjobs...handjobs..." Dammit, he was blushing again. It wasn't supposed to be this embarrassing! He fidgeted, turning his face to the side so Shizuo couldn't read his expression. "That's about it though."

He expected some sort of sarcastic remark, or a rebuke.

He didn't expect Shizuo to erupt into laughter - again.

"I like you kid."

_"I like you kid." "I like you kid." "I like you kid."_

Was that considered a confession? Because it really sounded like one. More so than their earlier exchanges. Mikado hid his smile as he said, "I like you too Shizuo." A lot. So much so, that he let his neck be littered with hickies his uniform wouldn't cover, and his hips be abused as Shizuo latched onto them, dragging them closer as his mouth descended over every inch of skin he could reach.

Mikado jerked as the hands cradling his hip moved further backwards, settling to rest against the pockets of his jeans. What was Shizuo doing? Through the haze of lust, he detached his mouth from Shizuo's, then quickly hid his face again as those hands started fondling his butt. He bit his lip to stifle a moan. Was this supposed to feel good? He'd never thought about it before. Shizuo seemed to know that it did, because he kept at it, only stopping occasionally to adjust Mikado in his lap when he tilted too much to the side. Mikado could tell the man was getting more worked up by the second - his breathing was more erratic, his hands grasping harder and harder, so much so that Mikado gripped Shizuo's shoulders, his nails digging into the skin. Shizuo let go.

"Sorry 'bout that."

"It's okay." Mikado offered a timid smile, slightly disappointed that Shizuo had withdrawn from touching him. They were both still horny, damnnit, why didn't he do something else? Then he thought guiltily about how he hadn't done a single thing for Shizuo since they...started. He'd kissed him, that was about it. He squirmed, missing the sharp intake of breath from Shizuo. The thought of trying to fondle the man was too much for him. And he didn't think he could strip him that easily, especially not with that vest. What was left?

"Shizuo?"

"Yeah?"

He steeled himself. He reached up, and tilted Shizuo's neck, dragging the collar of the man's uniform down, out of the way. He hesitated for a second, just long enough for Shizuo to say, "Wh-"

His tongue darted out.

* * *

><p>He was surprised to find that Shizuo didn't taste like sweets. He didn't really have much of a flavor at all, to be honest. He twirled his tongue, all to aware of the heat that had taken over his entire body. He felt Shizuo stiffen, felt his breath against his naked back. Was he enjoying it? Worried, he started lapping faster, his tongue working over time to compensate for all the pleasure Shizuo had shown him. Then he detached from his neck with a pop, leaning back to take in Shizuo's face.<p>

His breath caught.

"How'd you get so good at that, brat?"

So he was brat now? He laughed. "You showed me how."

Shizuo scratched at his reddening face. "Huh."

Mikado felt a surge of accomplishment rush through him. He had done something! He had been useful! He let himself relax a bit more, more comfortable in Shizuo's lap now. He was still heated and emotional and wanted to come so badly it hurt, but he was okay with their pace, okay with everything.

It was perfect.

"Hey...kid...?

He perked up.

"What...how - how far do you want to go?"

He froze.

What?

* * *

><p>Shizuo cursed inwardly. He just had to blurt out exactly what he'd been thinking. And exactly when the teenager had really gotten into it. His neck was proof of that. Bullets? He couldn't feel. Mikado's tongue, sensually rolling against his skin? It'd felt like heaven had taken a liking to him, it was that good. But now the boy was tense again, the muscles of his legs clamping down tightly on Shizuo's, ready to bolt if he needed to. Why did he ask that?<p>

Because he was afraid.

It was nonsense, really. Why would he be afraid of Mikado, quiet, adorable, helpful Mikado? He wasn't even afraid of being shot. Mikado was much more harmless than a bullet - Dollars leader point notwithstanding. So why did it feel like his heart was clenching with fear?

He looked at the walls of the apartment. They were still as disgusting as the first day he'd walked in, a stranger to Ryuugamine Mikado. What would he be called now? He certainly wasn't a stranger, or even a casual acquaintance anymore. Friends wasn't exactly right either.

Boyfriend?

He twitched slightly. That was the only possible choice that made sense. The title was just...weird. Foreign. He'd never dated - but then, he thought, he'd never thought he could be attracted to men either. Or teenage boys with wide blue eyes and a squeaky laugh and soft skin and the most beautiful smile ever.

But he was still afraid. Maybe even more so. Mikado had a power those men he fought with didn't - he had the power to bruise his heart, his ego, all those emotions he felt, like any other person. Mikado had wormed himself beyond the shell that the world saw, and had entered directly into the core of what he really was. Of what made him Shizuo, and not "Ikebukuro's Strongest Man."

He meant more to him than he ever thought someone could.

He startled a bit. Mikado's legs had unclamped, loosening. And his hands had latched around Shizuo's neck, something right out of one of those romance movies Celty sometimes had on in the apartment. He couldn't see his face, but he heard what he said with stunning clarity.

_"I'll go as far as Shizuo wants to."_

He brushed Mikado's hair gently, laying a kiss upon the top of his head. How cute. How pure.

He was glad that he was the only one that was ever going to see such a sight. If he could have one wish, he would wish to relive the moment over and over again, for as long as he lived and forever after that.

Shizuo tilted Mikado's chin up, setting a kiss against his jaw. Mikado's eyes were closed. He whispered, "Look at me," his normally gruff voice taking on a softer edge he'd used with Kasuka all those years ago. Mikado complied, those blue eyes boring into his. "Keep them open."

He realized he was being selfish and bossy, but Mikado wasn't complaining. It certainly wasn't a turn off either - he inwardly smiled at the thought. Shizuo reached for the boy's belt, never looking away from those eyes. They widened, but Mikado didn't fight, not when the belt slipped from the last loop, or when Shizuo unspapped his jeans. Not when Shizuo brushed aside his blue boxers either, just enough for him to tentaively slip a hand in and grab hold of Mikado's erection.

"Hnn!"

Shizuo felt more heat gather in the pit of his stomach. Mikado's face was crumpling with emotion, but he kept his eyes open as Shizuo pumped him, first slowly, getting a rhythm set up, then faster as Mikado's moans egged him on. He barely registered Mikado's nails biting into his skin, just felt the skin under his palm twitch slightly as he continued to feel and memorize Mikado's erection. He twirled one finger around the tip, just like how he did to himself, and was pleased to find that the method worked just as well with Mikado as it did himself. The boy thrust his hips forward, his erection sliding further up in Shizuo's grip. He smiled at Mikado, who just pouted, eyes slightly narrowed.

"Sh-Shizuo?"

He kept pumping him. "Y-yes?" Why was his voice catching too? Was he that far gone?

"I want - I want -" The boy shivered as Shizuo slid his palm down again. "-I want to touch you too."

His hand stilled. Images of Mikado touching him flooded his mind. Mikado, blushing and on his knees, pumping him. Mikado, his mouth at work between Shizuo's legs. Mikado, body bouncing up and down as he thrust into him.

"Shizuo? Your nose is bleeding."

He used his free hand to wipe his nose. "Ah, so it is."

* * *

><p>Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why was his nose bleeding anyways? He hadn't gotten hit or anything. He mopped the blood aside with his wrist. "I'm fine," he assured Mikado. "Just a little blood, nothing new."<p>

"That's good." The boy sighed in relief.

That didn't solve the little predicament Shizuo had gotten himself in though.

_Should I let him touch me? But I'm older, it's supposed to be my job...right? Fuck, he's still a minor too...but we're dating, so it's fine, I guess. And he doesn't seem to be complaining...shit, I don't know what to do._

"S-Shizuo?"

He snapped back to reality, realizing that he had unconsciously been sliding his hand up and down while he was trapped in his thoughts. He gulped - who thought it was a good idea to make Mikado so god damn hot? And why was he making those erotic faces, like he was about to come at any moment? A handjob wasn't that different from masturbation, right? Curious, he jerked his hand harder - Mikado whimpered, slamming his hips against Shizuo.

Fuck. He felt his own erection ache. To be honest, he wanted nothing more than to strip Mikado completely naked and take him right there on the futon. Then he remembered two very, very important things.

Number one: Mikado was a virgin. Well, he was too, but the virginity thing seemed like a bigger deal to the teenager than to him. And Mikado's futon was even more unromantic and unsexy than Izaya being the catalyst to them getting together.

Number two: He finally remembered that he had no lube or condoms, and he wasn't going to kill his boyfriend by being reckless. Not when Tom had explained to him all those years ago that anal _hurt_. A lot.

He swore under his breath. For once, he was going to have to use self-control. Thank god Mikado inspired him to do just that.

He suckled along Mikado's neck, smoothing the already-bruising skin with his tongue. As his teeth gripped onto flesh, he quickly fumbled for his belt. The clink of metal assured him he found it. He slipped it through the beltloops, casting it aside. Before Mikado could protest, he had undone his pants, thanking goodness that he hadn't come yet.

He kissed Mikado. How the hell was he going to get the boy to touch him? He wasn't good at this, dammit! Was it normal to ask? Or was he just supposed to do it himself? Asking seemed weird, but what if Mikado didn't like it? What if he hated Shizuo for going too fast?

He nearly chocked on his own spit when he felt his boxers being pushed aside.

"What does Shizuo want?"

He was going to hell. No one was allowed to be that, that _adorable!_

"W-what do you mean?"

Mikado was still holding onto his boxers, playing with the elastic at the top. "Like, a blowjob or a handjob? Or something?"

He was definitely going to hell. But not before he took Mikado's virginity. He started jerking Mikado off again, delighting in the way the boy leaned his head against his chest. "Let me finish you off first," he grunted, more turned on then ever. Masturbation had never been half as enjoyable, he decided. That had just been jerk-finish-sleep-repeat.

This, this was more than that. He smiled as Mikado whimpered, "S-Shizuo!" and then came. Shizuo caught most of it in his hand, some of it trickling out to land on his pants. Mikado whined softly, then said, "S-sorry," hiding his face.

Shizuo debated on whether to break him of the habit - he wanted to see his face, but it was still all kinds of cute. He decided he'd bring it up later.

"It's fine." Shizuo brought his hand to his mouth. Just as Mikado finally worked up the courage to look at him, his tongue darted out. He licked his lips, savoring it. It was salty, not sweet, but he cleaned it all up. "You taste good."

He laughed as the boy hid his face again.

* * *

><p>"I'm going to move you a bit, okay?"<p>

Mikado nodded, tufts of his hair brushing against Shizuo's chin. He twitched slightly, then lifted Mikado up gently, placing him besides him on the futon. Without a word, he tugged off Mikado's pants and boxers, leaving him completely naked, open. He flushed for a moment, taking it all in. Mikado was so scrawny, especially without any clothes. His skin was so pale, unmarred by sun or scars.

He got on his knees, leaning forward. Mikado was waiting for him to make a move. He bent his back, knowing he probably looked ridiculous, and not caring. He gripped the futon beside one of Mikado's hips for support and then brushed his mouth against Mikado. The teenager would have jumped in surprise if Shizuo hadn't pushed him down beforehand. Lapping up the last of the fluids, he swirled his tongue around in his mouth, straightening up. Mikado tasted even better than milk.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," Mikado whispered.

Shizuo tilted his head. What was the kid on about now? "I know. But I wanted to."

"Oh."

They sat there a moment, Shizuo replaying the last few minutes in his mind. He'd gone from a nose-bleed, to making Mikado orgasm, to cleaning up said orgasm. He ran his clean hand through his hair, smiling to himself. How lucky could he get? He'd scored a gentle, helpful boyfriend who tasted amazing and was handsome beyond compare. Something was finally going right.

He felt more than saw Mikado tug on his vest. He obliged Mikado's silent request, kissing him chastely.

"Does Shizuo want me to do the same?"

His first thought was, _Why does he keep saying my name?_

The second was more of an image assault. He liked what his mind produced. He fidgeted a bit, cursing how hard he had gotten since they had started. "If that's what you want," he said. He'd never make Mikado do it if he didn't want to, but damn, did he want him to want it.

Mikado firmly nodded. "Then that's what I'll do."

* * *

><p>Easier said then done.<p>

Mikado fidgeted. It was cold inside his apartment, especially with all of his clothes scattered across his apartment. Nerves weren't helping either. How was he supposed to match Shizuo's skill, never-mind confidence? The blonde had made him orgasm harder than any attempt at masturbating, and then he'd even done something so embarrassing as cleaning him up with his tongue and telling him he tasted good.

What the hell did that stuff even taste like anyways?

He got to his knees, placing himself in front of Shizuo, who was staring up at the ceiling in thought. The light was making his eyes look lighter, more youthful. Mikado waved at him, catching his attention easily.

"Sorry 'bout that."

"No, no it's fine." He kneeled, his feet sticking out to either side of him. He saw Shizuo's eyes widen just barely - was something the matter? He hadn't even started! He felt a fresh wave of embarrassment rock his fragile nerves. What if he couldn't make Shizuo orgasm? What if the blonde didn't like it? He figured he'd probably curl up in a ball and never look at him again.

He steeled himself, clutching at his palm. He was the Dollars leader - he had the courage to start the online gang, lead it. He had the courage to stand up to the Yellow Scarves and Izaya. He had the courage to help Heiwajima Shizuo - and then confess to him. He had done all of that - he could do this. Nerves sated, he finally tugged Shizuo's boxers and reached out to grip the older man's hard-on, determined.

He tried to copy what Shizuo had done to him. He started out gently stroking the skin, then gradually the pumps got harder, faster. He swirled a thumb over the tip, hearing a shaky breath escape from the other man. He was doing good! His heart did a giddy flip-flop inside his chest. He edged closer, almost into Shizuo's lap, and gripped the base. Then he leaned over.

"M-Mikado."

He almost stilled at the sound. Shizuo had a naturally husky voice, but...he shivered, wondering what kind of face he was making. He grew hard again.

He felt Shizuo grip at his hair, pulling at the short strands with all the restraint in the world possible for him. He groaned, but didn't budge, even when Shizuo pulled a bit too hard. He licked his lips, staring. He didn't know if he could take it all in...He flushed, scolding himself. What kind of thought was that? Sure, Shizuo was a bit bigger than him, but he was still growing...

Shizuo was getting impatient - he could feel it in the tugs. Mikado smiled, knowing that his boyfriend would never make him do something he didn't want to, despite his impatience. And people called him a beast! What kind of beast made sure that his boyfriend was comfortable and content first?

He popped the tip into his mouth.

Shizuo groaned, rocking his hips up. Mikado had to slide his mouth away, just in case because his mouth really didn't seem that _big_. He smoothed his tongue along the skin, all too aware of the salty aftertaste invading his mouth, the way Shizuo was clinging to him, breathing in deeply, the taste of salt _again_. It wasn't unpleasant, but he tried to ignore it, focusing on Shizuo's pleasure. He moved a bit faster, sunk his mouth a bit farther. He started moving his hands again, loving the way Shizuo bucked up. He felt his face burn, his ears alight with flame, but he continued sucking off his boyfriend.

"Mikado."

Ah-!

He blinked back tears, trying to swallow every droplet. He wanted to groan - Shizuo had made it look so easy, but he was nearly chocking. He had to pull away, a strand dribbling down his chin. He wiped it with the back of his hand, looking at anything, but avoiding those brown eyes.

How embarrassing.

Shizuo deserved better than that.

He tensed as he felt a thumb wipe the residue off his face. He could feel the tears threaten to spill over at any moment - he had been so sure he could do it, and he'd failed at the last minute! What kind of leader was he? What kind of boyfriend was he? He coughed, trying to clear the lump out of the back of his throat. He let himself be pulled and tucked against Shizuo's chest, and he let himself be pepepered with kisses, but all he wanted to do was hide and curl up into the shell of the boy he'd been before.

"You - you really are good...for a virgin, you know."

He winced.

"No, no that's not what I meant!" Shizuo suddenly grabbed his shoulders, pushing him so he could look him in the face. The blonde was just as red as he was, and the look in his eyes - Mikado had never seen it before, not from anyone. "I just mean, you know, you're good. Damnit, I hate saying stuff like this..."

He wiped at his eyes, leaning against Shizuo. He was wrapped up in a hug, a chin falling to rest against his head. He smiled into the fabric of his boyfriend's vest, clawing at it.

Maybe, just once...he could protect something, someone, and keep them with him forever.

He closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>"What are you doing now?"<p>

"Namie-san, don't you have any faith in me?"

"None whatsoever."

He ignored her deadpan response, focusing his attention on the board in front of him. So many options, so many different choices. He licked his lips, settling upon a chess piece he'd been favoring lately. He moved it along the board, snickering. He knew Namie was watching him, always was, so he didn't dare to whisper what he was thinking. One misstep and the game would be lost.

He smirked. "Namie-san, do you happen to know where my yearbooks are?"


	5. Chapter 5

I've gone back and edited some of the earlier chapters - mostly minor edits, switching Kida to Masaomi, stuff like that. I added a small section to the last chapter, so if you read the chapter before the edit, go back and read it. Otherwise, the only other information I need to say is that this does not follow the novel timeline, and instead is based more around the anime, with some novel-ish characteristics. I hope that doesn't throw anyone off.

* * *

><p>"Ryuugamine-kun?"<p>

"Ah, yes?"

"Are you meeting with Heiwajima-kun again today?"

He nodded, taking the last bite of his sandwich. He tucked the rest of his lunch away. "Sorry, Sonohara-san." He rubbed the back of his neck. "But tomorrow we can hang out if you want," he added. He was really starting to miss their trips for ice cream and their quiet conversations while walking together.

Her smile was small, but her voice was full of warmth as she said, "I would like that."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, just watching the clouds. Mikado missed the loudness of Masaomi's voice breaking through the quiet, the way he always made them laugh. He wondered where the blonde was. He was always vague on the chatroom, never divulging his real location. When would he come back? It'd already been months.

The bell rang and they stood, shuffling back to class. He looked forlornly out the window. Shizuo was a huge part of his life now, but he still couldn't help but miss the other part of his life that was missing.

He sighed, jotting down notes.

* * *

><p>"Good work today Shizuo."<p>

Shizuo yawned, stretching in the booth. His stomach was full, the plates in front of him completely empty. "No problem," he replied, fiddling with the ear-pieces of his sunglasses. "Wasn't anything I couldn't handle."

Tom laughed. "Certainly not." He took a bite of his dessert, then abruptly said, "How are you and Mikado-kun doing? You see him practically every day."

The hold on his glasses tightened. Tom was staring at him in a way he hadn't ever seen directed at him before. "We're...fine."

"Had sex yet?"

"W-What?"

Tom snickered, then held up his hands to ward off Shizuo's temper. "Relax, Shizuo. I knew since the moment you introduced us you had a thing for him. Though I never realized that you liked 'em so young."

Shizuo groaned, hiding his face against the table. He should have known better then to not tell Tom - the debt collector was far too perceptive, having mastered the art for his job. At least the table was cool against his face...

"But really, I'm happy for you." What? He looked up. Tom was smiling, leaning in towards him. "Your temper has lulled a bit and you smile a lot more. He's doing you some good."

He was afraid that his smile was too big and goofy, but he didn't bother hiding it - Tom would see it anyways. "Thanks Tom."

"So...did you guys really have sex yet? That was a real question, by the way."

"Is that any of your business?"

"No, but I'm going to ask anyways."

Shizuo rolled his eyes. The kid wouldn't mind if he just told Tom right? Mikado seemed to know how much the man meant to him - akin to how Shizuo knew how much Anri and that Kida kid meant to him.

"Not yet."

Tom slid closer to him in the booth. "What's stopping you? His age? Or are you two too virginal?"

Shizuo glared. Tom chuckled, shoveling some more chocolate cake into his mouth. "I just...I like what we have now," he admitted, feeling his ears redden. He cursed. "And Mikado doesn't seem to be in any rush, so I'm not worried."

"Ah." Tom nodded sagely, clasping his hands together. "Well, you better make him yours soon, Shizuo. Mikado-kun is adorable, I'm sure plenty of people want to snatch him up from you."

_Izaya_

He growled, refraining from snapping his sunglasses right then and there. "I won't let them."

* * *

><p>The ringing of the bell snapped Mikado out of his thoughts. It was that late already? He started cramming his belongings into his bag, shoveling them in with disregard. Anri had left before him - it had become custom for her to leave and talk with Shizuo first, then send her blessings and leave. Mikado didn't know if that was normal for friends to do, but he couldn't help but enjoy the sentiment anyways. Anri was what had grounded him after Masaomi had left.<p>

And Shizuo was steadily ungrounding him, but in a good way.

He grinned as he saw Anri bow to the former bartender, then towards him. He waved, then watched her disappear through the crowd of Raira students.

"Hey."

"How was your day, Shizuo?"

They fell into step together.

"It was fine. Went out and ate with Tom, did the usual. You?"

"Sonohara-san and I are going out tomorrow."

Shizuo ruffled his hair, simultaneously taking a drag of his cigarette. "Good. You can't waste all your time with this old man."

"You aren't old!"

Shizuo cracked a smile and they continued walking.

They took the same path they had been taking for a week now, the same one that Mikado had once taken daily with Anri and Masaomi. He scooted closer to Shizuo, vowing to log into the chat room later. He'd been neglecting it, and he felt guilty. He'd hop on for a few minutes, but then Shizuo would distract him unintentionally and he'd be gone before anyone could start up a good conversation with him.

"Why are you so quiet?"

Startled, he looked up, catching Shizuo's gaze from behind the tinted lenses of his sunglasses. "Just thinking," he said weakly. Was he supposed to say that he was moping? He didn't want to worry him over something he could handle. He removed one hand from the strap of his bag, holding it out to Shizuo, his face aflame.

He was pleasantly surprised when the blonde accepted it, wrapping his larger hand tightly around Mikado's, his thumb stroking patterns into his skin. He let himself lag behind slightly - Shizuo pulled him along, gently. He beamed. He'd been proven right again!

They climbed the rickety stairs of his apartment, Mikado leading this time. He unlocked the door and they entered, Mikado flicking the switch on and toeing off his shoes at the same time. He walked into the living room, Shizuo on his heels.

"Do you want anything?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm fine. Just sit."

He obeyed.

Shizuo's back was against one of the walls, his long legs spread out in front of him. With his shades gone, Mikado could see every flicker of those brown eyes, see them widen and move. "I still say you should move out. This place is terrible."

Mikado shrugged. "It's all I can afford."

"Why don't you move in with me then?"

Mikado stopped moving. Had he heard right? Did Shizuo just ask him to move in with him? Wasn't that like, supposed to be a step before marriage or something? He flushed, imagining himself wearing a frilly pink apron and serving Shizuo sweets all day long, then curling up beside him in bed. He nixed the apron idea, but the thought of sleeping next to Shizuo...he bit his lip. They could cuddle whenever they wanted, share a blanket, be together whenever. And Shizuo didn't live that far from the school either.

But first...

"Do you really mean it?"

The blonde growled, a hint of a blush on his face. "Of course I mean it! I wouldn't have said it otherwise."

He smiled. Just like Shizuo. "Then...I think that we should do it. Move in together, I mean!"

Shizuo smirked. "Come here then _roomie_."

Mikado obeyed, edging closer to his boyfriend. Shizuo grabbed his arms, dragging him onto his lap. Mikado let his mouth be ravished, his tongue fighting against Shizuo's. He let hands wonder under his bottom, and let Shizuo nibble along his neck. In turn, Shizuo let him push his hips against his, let him trail kisses along his skin, and let him whisper into his ear.

He couldn't wait to move in.

* * *

><p>"How is your ice cream Sonohara-san?"<p>

"Good. Yours?"

He licked at the last traces of vanilla ice cream sliding down his fingers. "Delicious." He smiled, and she returned the favor, turning back to her cone after he pulled out his phone. He flipped through some messages, then shoved it back into his pocket.

"Is there anything else you want to do today?"

She shook her head, still licking at her food.

Mikado thought about it. Masaomi was usually the one that brought them places - sometimes without asking if they wanted to go. The familiar ache grew in his chest. It had been three days since Masaomi had last logged on - he had even double checked with Celty. Where he was now? Mikado wondered. What if he was in a hospital? Or dead?

Mikado shook his head. Kida was fine, just fine. He always was. He turned back to Anri, opening his mouth - then abruptly shut it. His tone was much colder than normal as he said, "Orihara-san."

"Ah, Mikado-chan doesn't seem happy to see me~ I wonder why!"

Mikado saw Anri tense as the informant walked behind her, the fur of his jacket rubbing up along her bare skin. Her eyes momentarily flashed, but he saw her keep it under wraps as her teeth sunk into the last bit of her ice cream cone.

"Why are you here Orihara-san?"

The informant stopped just a few inches short of Mikado. "I have business with the leader of Dollars, of course~" His smirk turned into a frown as he looked back at Anri, who had started to stand. "Saika, however, is of no importance to me right now. Send her on her way please, dear Mikado-chan." He learned forward, his lips grazing Mikado's ear. He jerked back, but Izaya steadied him, his breath warming Mikado's ear. "If you don't send her away, I won't share my information with you, and won't that just be a shame, neh?"

Mikado recoiled, rubbing his ear. Only Shizuo was supposed to do that to him! He glared at Izaya, than turned to Anri, softening his expression. "I guess we'll have to reschedule our outing then Sonohara-san."

"I see," she answered simply. She picked up her bag. "I will see you tomorrow then Ryuugamine-kun."

He nodded. "See you later."

She bowed to him and then left, skirting the trees that lined the park. They watched her as she turned back, eyes glowing in the shadows of the trees.

"Saika-sama so scary!~"

"What is it that you wanted to tell me, Orihara-san?"

Izaya pouted. "Sometimes I wonder if you only talk to me to get information. How cold." The smirk on his face didn't match his words, nor did the calculating slit of his eyes. "And even after I've left you alone with Shizu-chan all this time, when all I wanted to do was steal you away! How could you pick that monster over me?"

"Shizuo is not a monster!"

Izaya's lip curled. "Whatever you say." He started rummaging in his jacket, pulling out a familiar looking book. "Here~ Shizu-chan's yearbook. He should really work on not throwing his personal belongings at me."

Mikado accepted the book, propping it on his hip. Why was Izaya giving him this? What motive did he have? Izaya never did anything unless it benefited him in some form. Suspicious, he cracked the book open.

"See? It's Shizu-chan's all right."

Mikado closed it. The messy scribble on the inside was certainly Shizuo's. "Why are you giving me this?" he asked bluntly.

"What, I can't be a good guy? How mean Mikado-chan! And after you chose Shizuo over me too."

Mikado flushed. He kept saying that. "What do you mean?"

"So silly~ If you don't understand now, you will later. Well, tata!"

"Wait!"

Izaya looked over his shoulder. "Yes?~"

"You said you wanted to tell me something, not give me something."

"Oh yes, that's right." Izaya's smirk grew wider. He continued walking away, calling over his shoulder, "You and Shizu-chan should be more weary of your past, dear Dollars Leader."

"What do you mean?" Mikado started running after him, dodging children and adults, but Izaya was faster.

"Oh, you'll see, don't worry about that one tiny little bit."

He was gone.

Mikado cursed under his breath. Was Izaya plotting something? He had shown that he was capable of such things, and Mikado knew that when the informant grew bored, all hell broke loose. He gripped the yearbook so tightly his knuckles started turning white.

He ran. He ran until his lungs begged him to stop, until his heels were raw. He kneeled, panting. The fingers curled around the yearbook were sweaty, and he stopped to wipe them on his t-shirt, momentarily letting go of the yearbook.

"Mikado?"

He looked up, freezing.

"Mikado? Mikado, it's really you!"

"Masaomi...?"


	6. Chapter 6

"Dammit!"

"What's wrong Shizuo?"

"Mikado's not picking up." The blonde smashed in the numbers again, putting out his cigarette as Mikado's voice mail turned on. He growled, putting his phone away. Where was he? What was he doing? Since they had started this - relationship? - Mikado had always responded within seconds, unless in school. The kid was a tech-freak, and his phone was permanently attached to his hip. So why wasn't he picking up?

"Maybe he just turned it off?"

"He never turns it off."

"Maybe he just didn't charge it then." Tom placed a hand on Shizuo's shoulder. Shizuo hadn't realized he'd been hunching them. He lowered them, trying to lessen his growing anxiety. "I'm sure he's fine. He's probably at home right now, or out with his friend. He's just a kid - what kind of trouble can he get into?"

Shizuo grit his teeth. Tom didn't know that Mikado was the leader of Dollars. Tom didn't know that the flea was interested in Mikado. There was a lot of trouble he could get into.

"Look, I can see that you're getting all worked up. Take the rest of the day off."

"What? Really?"

Tom slapped the back of his arm. "Sure. I can't have my bodyguard spacing out worrying over his lover, can I? Besides, you hardly take breaks." He started walking away. "But when he's home and safe, I get to say 'I told you so!'"

Shizuo nodded, watching Tom get swallowed up by the crowd. He pulled out his phone again, dialing Mikado's number one last time.

"Hello?"

Shizuo blinked. He had dialed the right number, right? He pulled the phone back and checked, then settled it against his ear again.

"Hey, why does the caller ID say 'Shizuo'? That's just a mean joke right? That can't be right, can it? Hello?"

Shizuo paused. Mikado had few friends - and few that obnoxious. "Kida Masaomi?"

"Why, the one and only!"

"Where is Mikado?"

The boy seemed to sigh. "I don't know. He ran away. From me, his best friend! His cell phone dropped, so I picked it up for the ungrateful brat." The light hearted speaking suddenly turned cold - the voice of a former gang leader. "Who is this really?"

Shizuo hung up. So Mikado didn't have his phone. He wasn't with Kida - he'd run from Kida. Shizuo had never considered himself the brightest, but he'd seen the way Mikado acted every time the blonde was mentioned, even in passing. Why would he run? It just didn't make sense.

Was there something going on? Had Izaya threatened him? Did something happen with Kida?

He lurched forward, cutting through the hoards of people littering the sidewalk. He blocked out all the noise, all the chatter. Questions spun in his mind as he reached the raggedy apartment, taking the stairs in sets of threes. He hammered on the door, almost knocking it off its hinges. He waited - nothing.

"Fuck!" He ran a hand through his hair, feeling the sweat between his fingers. Where the hell was Mikado? He felt the hair on his arms stand straight up with worry, fear even. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" He punched the wall, feeling the wood splinter under the power of his fist. He punched it again, and again, and again, until his knuckles were bloody and a gaping hole stared back at him accusingly. He was supposed to be Mikado's boyfriend - he loved the damn kid, wanted him to live with him, kiss him, stare up at him with those damned blue eyes and never look away. And yet, he couldn't even _find_ him. He could only revert back to that damned primal urge to _break_.

He was a monster.

He sank down, sitting on the top step. He covered his face with his hands, blood seeping everywhere. Mikado was only a teenager, he couldn't have gotten far, especially if he was running. But where would he go? Kida was out, since he had run from him. He had no idea where the girl - what the hell was her name again? - lived. Maybe someone had seen him! He fished out his phone, punching in Kadota's number. But before he could hit send, he heard the all-too familiar whinny of a horse echo around him.

"Celty!"

She waved him down, already punching in words to her PDA as he stopped in front of her. He bent down to her level to read. "'Mikado is safe and sound at Shinra's.' He's at your place?"

She nodded. He felt his breath even out slightly. Why hadn't he thought of that? He watched Celty type again.

[He didn't talk much, just told us that we should track you down. I tried to get through to your number, but you had it changed?]

He frowned. "The flea got a hold of it. I never remembered to give it to you. Sorry."

[It's fine. What's more important at the moment is why Mikado came to me. Do you know what happened?]

Shizuo shrugged, withholding the urge to smile. Mikado was okay. He hadn't been kidnapped, or taken by the flea. He was okay, he was at Shinra's. "That Kida punk came home. He has Mikado's phone."

[But why would Mikado be this upset? He's been waiting for Kida-kun to come home all this time!]

Shizuo shifted. "I don't know. But I'd like to. Mind if...?"

She agreed. Within minutes, she had formed a black helmet for him, ears and all, and they were racing down the streets of Ikebukuro, Shizuo frowning the entire way.

After Celty parked her bike, she held out her hand, grasping onto Shizuo's shoulder, like Tom had. [Don't pressure him, Shizuo. I know you care about him, but that doesn't always stop you from hurting the one you love.]

He frowned as she continued. [Mikado is still young. He's going to make a lot of mistakes, and sometimes you just have to accept them. He is mature, yes, but you're going to have to have a certain level of patience with him. You guys haven't fought yet, right?] He nodded. The closest they had come to fighting was when the flea had stopped by. [You both have never been in a relationship, and things may change drastically. I know you can control your temper better now, but you're both in positions were you can hurt each other greatly - you as Ikebukuro's strongest man, him as the leader of Dollars, and the both of you as lovers. I don't want to see either of you get hurt.]

Shizuo stared, stunned for a second. He had always considered Celty wise, but... "I promise, I'll try to keep my temper under control. And thank you."

[Don't thank me yet. Go talk to Mikado first and then thank me. Something tells me that this is far more important than it appears to be.]

He was getting that feeling too. Whatever had made Mikado run was making him nervous. While Celty waved him inside - conveniently disappearing - he opened up the door.

"Oi!'

* * *

><p>Mikado hugged the pillow to his chest. He glared at the coffee table in front of him, at the stupid yearbook he'd managed to drag with him. His eyes wandered to the clock - was it really only that late? He felt like he had been sitting there for hours.<p>

He set his head back. Why, why had he been so stupid as to drop his cell phone as he turned his coward self away? He cursed himself. Despite standing up to Namie, Izaya, the Yellow Scarves, and Masaomi himself - he was still a coward.

A stupid, stupid coward.

_"Mikado? Mikado, it's really you!"_

_"Masaomi...?"_

_"Mikado!" Masaomi latched himself on to Mikado, twirling him around like a rag doll. "I'm so happy I caught you!"_

_"W-when did you get here?" Mikado sputtered out. He wanted to get away, but it was Kida! He was back! His smile was broader than it had been in weeks. _

_"Just today, actually. So you can imagine my shock on seeing my best friend all of a sudden." Masaomi dropped him, but kept an affectionate arm around his shoulder. Mikado leaned into it - he hadn't realized just how much he had come to miss Kida's touch. It was familiar, like home. "What are you doing over here?"_

_"Oh well, Sonohara-san and I were just -"_

_"Wait, don't go any further! Is it possible that you, my little Mikado, dork extraordinaire -"_

_"-hey-"_

_"-scored a date with **the** erotic Anri-chan?"_

_"No, we were just hanging out as friends."_

_Masaomi pouted. "You're no fun, Mikado. When are you finally going to step up and be a man and ask her out?"_

_Mikado paused, cursing himself. Of course Masaomi didn't know about Shizuo. Of course he would have to tell him. Of course, he was about ready to have a heart attack at just uttering the words 'I am gay and in a relationship with Shizuo, you know, that guy you warned me about months ago? He even wants me to move in!'_

_He should have just done it over the internet. At least it would have been easier._

_"Oh, uh, well, why did you come back now?" There, that was some kind of diversion. And it was true - why was Masaomi **here** now?_

_The hand gripping his shoulder grew tense. "Izaya contacted me."_

_"What? Why?"_

_Masaomi turned yellow eyes on him. "Because of you."_

_Mikado furrowed his brow. What could Izaya tell Masaomi that would make the blonde run all the way back home? It couldn't have been about Shizuo, or Masaomi wouldn't have asked about Anri. "Me?"_

_"What haven't you been telling me about what's been going on?"_

_"W-what?"_

_"What else have you been hiding Mikado?"_

_He blinked. What in the world had Izaya told Masaomi? "I don't...I mean, what -"_

_Kida turned him to face him head-on, both of his hands clasping onto his shoulders. "Mikado - I came back to protect you!"_

_Mikado blanched. Of all the things for him to say...! "Protect me from what, Masaomi?" He was starting to get scared. What was going on?_

_"There's going to be another war, Mikado. And according to Izaya, **you** started it."  
><em>

_Mikado's eyes widened. He felt Masaomi's grip lessen, and then felt his heart pound and his breath come in shallow gasps. How could he have started a war that he didn't even know about? He'd spent all his time with Shizuo the past few weeks -_

_"Oh no."_

_He didn't even hear Masaomi call after him, or his cell phone clatter to the ground._

Mikado couldn't believe how stupid he had been.

"Oi!"

He whipped his head in the direction of the entrance. "Shizuo!" He dropped the pillow, racing to where the bartender stood. The expression on his face - it made Mikado's stomach clench painfully. Hope filled brown eyes were shadowed by heavy brows, and a sad smile was slowly unfurling.

"Don't. Ever. Lose. Your. Phone. Again."

He was swept up into a hug. Unlike Masaomi's, Shizuo's was more frantic, like he was afraid Mikado was going to die before his very eyes. Mikado wrapped his arms around Shizuo, gripping the sweat-soaked vest. What had he been doing that made him so weary? Had he - had he been running around looking for him?

"Shizuo-"

"Why did you run here?"

"I-" Mikado paused. If he said why he didn't want to go home, he would reveal more than he wanted to at the moment. Shizuo was anxious, and Mikado didn't want to send him over the edge. "This was the closest place. I got tired running."

"Better question then: why did you run?"

He nibbled his lip. "Masaomi says a new war is starting."

Mikado felt Shizuo's muscles ripple as he pulled back. "And you ran because of that? What does some war have to do with you?"

"Apparently? Everything."

* * *

><p>"What are you up to?"<p>

Izaya spun in his chair, watching the colors of his office melt together, the browns and reds, and the more colorful greens that announced Namie's presence. He cackled, spinning harder. It was oh so much fun to taunt her, and see the all too familiar gleam of anger in her eyes, the gleam that only left when her kid brother was with her, that weird brat that had taken interest in the head in his possession. She was fun, but predictable, and just as he tired of spinning his chair somedays, he tired of her.

When his chair finally squeaked to a stop, he smirked, standing up on straight legs. "I don't know what you're talking about," he lied, striding towards his game board.

She followed him. "You didn't want those yearbooks to reminisce about the past. You have a reason for everything you do, and it usually ends up with something unpleasant happening."

"You worry too much."

"I work for you - it's a part of the job." She crossed her arms across her chest, something Izaya knew other males would find alluring, but that he found highly annoying. "Though I can't say I personally care even an iota for you."

"Oh, that stings Namie-san!" He clutched dramatically at his chest, still inwardly sneering at her. She was pretty, he guessed, probably even gorgeous. And she was just as alone as he was, her brother leaving her for a freak, and Mikado leaving him for Shizuo. He narrowed his eyes. What could Mikado possibly see in a brute like Shizuo? He wasn't intelligent like Mikado was, and though Izaya could admit that Shizuo was somewhat attractive - in that creepy beast way of his - what could possibly hold the Dollars leader's attention?

Izaya could match wits with him. Izaya was attractive. Izaya was interesting - Mikado had told Shizuo as much when Izaya had been spying. Izaya could continuously challenge Mikado, and teach him new things all the time.

He sneered, loosening his arms from his chest. "Namie-san?"

"What?" she snapped.

He moved another piece on his board, the light streaming in through the curtains catching his eyes. "Prepare for war."


	7. Chapter 7

I swear I haven't died. I'm just in college, which as you can imagine, can sure sap artistic/writing energy. So many papers! So little sleep!  
>Hope you don't mind the segments with characters other than Shizuo and Mikado cause uh, that's going to come up a lot.<br>On another note, Anri needs more love. Who is with me?

* * *

><p>Masaomi kicked a rock, watching it launch into the air, then settle back down. What was Mikado's problem? Masaomi had left Saki behind so that he could protect him - from what, he wasn't entirely certain, but it was Mikado. Masaomi would die for him, no matter the circumstances.<p>

But Mikado had run away from him.

He pulled his hood up and over his blonde hair and marched away.

* * *

><p>"What the hell is going on?"<p>

Mikado's fingers were a blur to Shizuo. The kid really knew how to type, he guessed. He still had to use two fingers, one letter at a time, but Mikado punched out letters and numbers like his life depended on it, all ten fingers in near constant motion. The blue of the screen cast a eerie glow over his face, his blue eyes trained on each page as it loaded, mouse veering left and right. Shizuo hovered over his shoulder, not quite sure what to do. After Mikado had hugged him - he had liked that part, it was nice - he had immediately taken over Celty's laptop, and Shizuo had been pretty much left in the dark since.

"You know how you keep saying that my place is a dump?"

"Yeah? But what does -"

"And you know how I haven't been there very much lately, unless you're there?"

"Yeah but -"

"And you know that I'm the Dollars leader and in trouble if most people find out this fact?"

Shizuo was starting to get frustrated. "Yeah but -"

"But nothing. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have been so distracted, I should have kept an eye on Izaya." Shizuo was surprised by how steely Mikado's voice was. Was this the same boy who had minutes ago been entangled in his arms? Because, as he turned around, he suddenly reminded him of Izaya, cold and calculating, down to the edge in his voice and the way his expression morphed as he scrolled page by page, each minute passing by making his face darker and darker.

He didn't like it.

Admittedly, he was aware that he'd known Mikado for only a short while. Hell, he'd known the flea longer! But it was still disconcerting to see his perfect image of Mikado waver. He was being downright creepy, and Shizuo couldn't wrap it around his mind. Mikado was helpful, bashful, straight-forward in his own kind of way. Where was he, underneath all _this_?

"Just tell me what is going on!" he roared, finally snapping.

Mikado flinched back, looking Shizuo in the eye for the first time since he had logged on. Shizuo couldn't say why, but his expression was more...human. More normal. More Mikado. "No, it's okay," the teenager said, voice low. "I would be mad too, in your position."

Shizuo ran his fingers through his hair and chewed his lip. Had Mikado really been acting that way or was he just going crazy? The latter option seemed more plausible. Mikado was sweet and shy, smart too. Sure, he was socially awkward and a bit excitable but Shizuo found it kind of cute. Like an energetic dog or something.

Though he didn't think admitting that to Mikado would score him any points.

"Just…just tell me what's wrong, okay?" he finally said. He dropped his hands from his hair and let them grip the cushion of the swivel chair Mikado was sitting in. He gently turned Mikado around. "That's what couples do, right? They tell each other stuff, even the bad stuff." God, he sounded like a bad romance novel.

"Ah...you are right."

"I am?" Shizuo blinked.

Mikado actually laughed - not even bitterly, or anything! There was progress, at least. "You are."

"Oh. Good." He let go of the chair, taking a step back. "Now tell me what's going on," he grunted out.

Mikado's fingers writhed in his lap. "It's...complicated, but I'll try." He spun back to face the computer screen. With a few clicks, he had brought up the Dollars board. Shizuo had long since given up navigating anything more complex than a text message, but he peered intently at it. Was this going to give him some answers he could understand?

"Someone hacked me."

"The hell?" He furrowed his brow.

Mikado's fingers shook on the mouse. "That's what I was trying to explain earlier. I was so caught up...with you...and everything else, that I didn't pay full attention to what was going on with Dollars. A war started on my own website!"

Shizuo watched as Mikado navigated through the site. "Most of it has remained the same, which is why I didn't notice anything. I didn't log into my admin account, I just skimmed through the information, since I only use that account to post when I have to. But now, I can't log in. Someone changed the password - from my computer, more than likely." His fingers started to shake on the keyboard. "The time stamp says it was today, which is why why no one managed to get in contact with me. I don't have my cell phone and I haven't been on the computer. It's almost like they know my schedule!" Mikado slammed his hand on the table. "And whoever has done all this, has used the admin account to post this."

Shizuo narrowed his eyes as Mikado clicked on a link, bringing forth a thread. He squinted at the text - he didn't have to for long. Right at the top, the original poster, named Admin, had put in large, bold type -

"-Color War?"

He saw Mikado wrinkle his nose. "A play on Cold War, I'm sure. Read farther."

Shizuo focused back on the page. The longer he read, the angrier he got. He had to pull back before he smashed the computer to pieces. "That little shithead, whoever it is I'm going to -"

"No."

Shizuo paused. "What do you mean, no?"

Mikado stood up, planting his palms on the table in front of him. He didn't turn Shizuo's way. "Whoever this person is, I want to meet them."

Shizuo sneered, his hands turning into fists. "Fine," he said shortly, "we'll meet them. We'll do it your way."

"I didn't mean to-"

"I get it." He averted his eyes. He wanted desperately to punch something, but he couldn't disappoint Mikado like that. Not when the boy was already stressed out and frazzled. Not when he'd been so angry, so dark before. He never wanted to see that again. "I'm not angry with you, or nothing. Just pissed at this person."

He felt a hand uncurl his, and spread his fingers wide. He looked down. Mikado's fingers locked with his.

"We'll figure it out. Together."

Shizuo grunted. He reached out and kissed the top of Mikado's head, tucking his face into his chest.

Whoever had done this was going to pay.

* * *

><p>"You don't have to go in alone. I can go with you."<p>

Mikado turned; his hand remained fixed on the doorknob as he said, "I know." The copper was slippery under touch, so he tightened his grip. How many times had he walked through this very door? How many times had he been alone? He furrowed his brow, staring at a scratch in the door. He reached out, stroking it. It was a perfect slash. His hand went limp as it fell to his side, just imagining the knife gouging the wood, the face of the man who had done it, the glint of the metal as it dug through the wood and now him.

"You don't have to prove anything either."

"I know."

Shizuo grunted, changing position. The wood of the stairs creaked with his weight, protesting the giant's movements. Mikado could just imagine him glaring, pissed off at being shut out. "I'll wait out here then. Call me when you need me."

Mikado nodded, not bothering to correct him. He didn't need him - not right now, anyways. When Shizuo hit pavement, leaning against the pole at the bottom of the stairs, Mikado turned the knob and walked in.

He let out a sigh as he scanned the area. He had been half-thinking a knife would be at his throat at this point. He rubbed at his neck, walking past the shoe rack and the kitchen, which looked just as bare and dreary as it had before. He'd need to get some food soon, if he wanted any lunch, he thought. He'd barely eaten anything the day before and his stomach started to rumble as he stepped into the living room.

"What the...?"

He bolted to the table, running his hands frantically over the surface. He grabbed for his futon, unraveling it at record speed. He was starting to sweat, and his eyes bulged out. He turned to each corner, but like the kitchen, it was bare.

He ran back, flinging every cabinet door open, checking under the sink, even opening the refrigerator door. His stomach had stopped rumbling, and instead felt like it was curling in on itself. He bit his lip as he checked behind his front door, the only place left.

He scowled at the note tucked all the way back, near the hinge. He peeled the tape off, and brought it up to his face. His mouth formed the words as he read, his frown growing with every word painstakingly spelled out. When he reached the end, he looked at the back of the door, reaching out to it again.

"Shizuo!"

* * *

><p>Anri frowned at her phone before tucking it back into her jacket. She cast her eyes down to the ground. Her classmates had long since headed in, leaving her to stand in front of the school, a solitary figure. She was distantly aware of gazes turned towards her, watching her through the safety of the glass. She longed to pick her head up, eyes blazing, but withheld the urge, if only barely. Saika wasn't going to win, not now especially.<p>

She took her phone out once more. She clicked through all of her messages, then back to the clock. The numbers slid higher and higher still, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She fired off a quick text, her fingers punching the keys like never before.

"Where are you?"

She rolled her hands into a fist, her cell phone creaking. She headed towards class.

She didn't even notice until she reached her seat that her cell had been vibrating.

* * *

><p>"It'll be okay, Celty, I promise."<p>

Shinra watched her shadows punch out her message, glad that he had thought of a PDA to communicate. Prior to that had been a pain he didn't care to remember. [You don't know that! This is a war!]

"I'll protect you. You'll be fine." He moved to hug her, but she started typing harder, thrusting her PDA in his face. He blinked.

[That's not what I'm worried about. Are we always going to have to deal with this? Will we always be subject to Izaya's wims? How much are we going to take before someone snaps and kills him? Shizuo already hates him, but now that he has Mikado and he's in the line of fire, he may just take it a step further!]

"Woah, woah, Celty, you have to calm down!" He gestured wildly, but she just stood up, pacing between the couch and the table. Her shadows were flying this way and that, and if she had her head, he could just imagine the turmoil on her face. She paused in front of him, then showed him her PDA as it wobbled back and forth.

[He's your friend. Talk to him!]

"What? Celty, you know Izaya won't listen to me. He does what he wants, he always has."

[We have to do something! Did you see the way Mikado was trembling when he left? Shizuo even said that he wouldn't let him go in the apartment with him. He only got to go in when Mikado screamed for him. Whatever Izaya wants, it has to do with those two. They're our friends, Shinra. We can't let them fend for themselves.]

Shinra sighed. He leaned forward, cupping his hands together between his legs. He closed his eyes. "If it will make you feel better, I can try. I like Mikado-kun and Shizuo too. And I certainly don't like seeing you so anxious."

He opened his eyes to watch Celty's shadows slowly recede back. He smiled, standing up. He placed his hands on her shoulders, keeping her in place as he brought his face up to her neck. "I will protect you, Celty," he repeated, his hands coming to rest at her waist. For once, she didn't hit him, or pull back. "I will protect you."

_I will protect you at all costs._


	8. Chapter 8

So I had this all typed out a few days ago, but of course, my computer crashed. Thank god we have IT here on campus and it's free, cause I would have had to been computerless for a while, and for a college student that is impossible. Plus, fanfiction. Can't forget that.

This story can be found on the kinkmeme as well as my livejournal fanfiction account. My name there is fallback_fics

I don't own Durarara!

* * *

><p>"So soft..."<p>

Shizuo cupped Mikado's face, his thumb smoothing red-rimmed eyes and cheeks. His fingers lingered; Mikado's skin was puffy to the touch, like his would get after a fight. The clock mounted over the counter ticked, ticked, ticked, the time away, the hours it had taken to push Mikado into the bed and some spare clothes for the night, the hour it had taken him to calm down enough to stop tearing up. It had been heartbreaking, practically, to watch him toss and turn, and then finally when he fell asleep, to start twitching, his body wracked with emotion. His lips would move silently every once and a while.

"I'm so sorry..."

Shizuo's clothes hung off both his shoulders, and the pants drooped so bad he'd had to cuff the bottom and tie the strings as tight as they would go around his waist. His comforter engulfed him, from his toes, to where it bunched up at his waist, to his neck. He clutched at Shizuo's pillow, his knuckles a shade lighter than normal. Had he done that the last time they'd slept next to each other? He racked his brain, but couldn't remember beyond the memory of touching him, of kissing him, of holding him so tight his heart had thudded against his chest.

Shizuo ran his fingers through Mikado's hair, bent over, and kissed his forehead. "I'll make everything better, I promise, Mikado."

He pulled his arm back, fished in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"I was wondering when you would call, Shizu-chan~"

Just the sound of his voice... Shizuo growled. "I'm not playing with you anymore, Flea. Meet me at the park. _Now_."

"Oh, so commanding~" Izaya snickered. "And if I don't show up?"

Shizuo cast one last look at Mikado before shutting the door. The blanket covered most of him, but the gentle rhythm of his breathing made Shizuo smile sadly. He hoped that he stayed asleep while he was gone. "You'll show up."

"Shizu-chan knows me so well, I see. What a scary thought, a protozoan like you knowing anything about grand ol' me."

Shizuo grunted. He reached into his pocket and rooted around for a cigarette, lighting up before he stepped out of the house. The familiar metallic sting of smoke and ash soothed his anger - a bit. Pulling the phone away from his mouth, he whispered, "good night, Mikado."

"So Mikado-chan is staying with Shizu-chan? How scandalous!" The sound of his laughter was even worse over the phone; Shizuo puffed harder.

"That's none of your business, _Flea_," he snarled.

The streets were still packed, people still avoided him, giving him a wide berth when they took in his bartender suit. People were still largely uncolorful, even behind his purple shades. He still smoked. The girl with that sign, the one he'd once written in, was still by the park, and Simon was still speaking broken Japanese.

"Shizu-chan."

He snapped his phone shut and crushed his cigarette under foot.

Izaya stepped out of the shadows, hands in pockets, the picture of contentment. He shrugged, the fur of his parka rubbing against his pointy face, then smiled. "Don't be like that! We came to talk, not to fight! Or do you plan on killing me, before I hurt _your_ precious Mikado-chan?"

"Don't say his name so familiarly!"

Izaya blinked. Shizuo cursed inwardly. Why was his temper so bad? Why was he always doing this? Why would Mikado want him? Their first meeting he'd come close to mauling the boy, but he had sat down and tried to help him anyways. He went through library books, countless websites, asked people he barely knew! And for what? To fall in love with a man with brute strength and a horrible temper? He frowned, scuffing the ground with his shoe. Izaya's lips were moving.

"I've known Mikado-chan much longer than you have, Shizu-chan. I know all about his past _and_ his present. What do you know about him?" He wanted to wipe the satisfied smirk off his face, but Izaya wiped out his knife, pointing it at him. Light bounced off the blade, blinding him for a split second. He blinked, almost missing Izaya's sudden frown. "That he's a high school student? That he's helpful? That he's the Dollars leader? I knew it all before you, dear Shizu-chan. And I know more than that too."

"Fucking stalker."

"Informant is the word you're looking for, protozoan. But I wouldn't expect someone of your intelligence to remember such a big word~"

"Cut the crap Flea."

Izaya lowered his blade - slightly. "Aw, do you want to call a truce? Perhaps hand over Mikado-chan to me?"

_No, no, no, no, no!_ Shizuo growled, taking a step closer; Izaya's blade raised up again. "Not on your life Flea. He's _mine_."

"I never thought I would see the day that you fall in love!" Izaya's free hand slapped his chest, right where his heart was. "And if you did, I always vowed to ruin it. For fun, you see. But to think, that the beast would have such great taste. Though it's a bit taboo, what with Mikado-chan so young and being a boy and all. Some would call that wrong, immoral even. Do you want people mocking his good name? Dragging him even further into the lowest part of society? I can prevent that - or I can start it."

"That's a bluff and you know it. You wouldn't do that to him."

"Or would I?" Shizuo's eyes widened; what was Izaya doing? "You know very little about me, Shizu-chan," he said, pouting, as the tip of the knife punctured a hole in his shirt, cutting through the black fabric. "You have no idea how I will react. You hated me the second you caught sight of me; maybe the only smart thing you've done with your life!" The blade touched skin, and Shizuo watched as Izaya wiped the blood off the blade with a finger. What the fuck was going on? Izaya usually liked to make his blood spill, not his own blood. "Your biggest mistake was taking Mikado from me."

Shizuo steeled himself. Izaya had always been off. Poking holes in his own chest shouldn't freak him out as much as it was. "I didn't take him from you. He loves me."

"For now. Things change. People move on."

He snorted. "You're one to talk Flea."

"Ah, even Shizu-chan can joke."

Shizuo reached into his pocket. The sound of rustling paper reached his ears as he launched it at Izaya, who caught it with ease. Stupid good reflexes; stupid flea reflexes. "Enough of that. I came here about this." Izaya shot him a dirty look, then flicked his knife closed. He uncrumpled the paper ball, his eyes moving down the page faster than Shizuo's could. "What the hell does it mean?"

"It means exactly what it says. 'Give me back what once was mine.' You really are stupid, huh? It's even spelled out - correctly, I might add - in front of your very eyes. Maybe you should get them checked?"

Shots to his intelligence weren't new to him, but he gnashed his teeth anyways. Izaya could just breath and it would piss him off. "Why the hell is there a picture of Mikado on there?"

Izaya waved his finger at him, his hips moving from side to side. "Tut tut! What's the fun in explaining? You should figure it out yourself. I am presenting you with an educational opportunity, Shizu-chan. You should take care to be a better pupil."

"I've had enough of your games!" Shizuo advanced forward, until all that was separating him from Izaya was the blade pointed at his chest. "I want answers Flea, and I want them now!"

"That's too bad Shizu-chan; I'm not at liberty to give them right now. This is my game and I intend to to play it to the very end - and of course, win."

Hopeless! What kind of sick freak was he? "And if you drag Mikado down because of this?"

"Shizu-chan is such a romantic, at heart, huh?" Izaya moved the tip of the blade down, drawing droplets of blood. Izaya licked his lips; Shizuo held his ground, even as his blood splattered the ground. It was nothing, nothing at all. He didn't brush the blade away."Just because I love Mikado-chan doesn't mean I won't play with him~"

"You're a fucking psycho Flea!"

Izaya smiled, red eyes glinting. "If you say so~ But I have business to take care of, so I'm going to have to leave you now. A certain doctor wants to talk to me and he insisted that it be tonight. I guess I'm just so popular, eh?"

_What does he have to do with this?_ "Not yet. I haven't gotten any answers still."

"That's too bad for you then. Maybe you should ask Mikado-chan what it all means; isn't that why he was crying?"

How did he...? Shizuo grabbed at Izaya's parka, but the informant was too quick for him. He leaped over the stone wall, calling, "Send Mikado-chan my love, won't you?" over his shoulder. Shizuo watched him bound away.

"Fuck!" His foot kicked out, catching a stone. It split in half. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

This was too confusing! Izaya loved Mikado, right? Wasn't this why this was all happening? But it was the Flea, he had been known to start fights just for the hell of it. But he knew about Mikado crying, when Mikado had only started at his apartment? Did the fucker have his apartment bugged? Shizuo froze; if his apartment was bugged...then that meant...

He started running. He didn't stop until he skidded into his apartment, shouting, "Mikado!"

"Hello Heiwajima-san."

* * *

><p>Izaya sauntered into the room, falling into his favorite couch. He snuggled into it, relaxing. Meeting with Shizuo was always so exciting, he just wanted to nap afterwards. He used his arms as a pillow, calling out Shinra's name. If the doctor didn't show up, he was going to fall asleep. Though Celty would probably have a few choice words - typed out, of course - to say about that. She didn't like him much; he grinned. Not that he could blame her, exactly.<p>

"Ah, when did you get in here Izaya?"

Izaya cracked an eye open. "Are you serious? I've been screaming your name for the past minute."

Shinra chuckled, moving aside. "As you can see, I was with a patient."

Izaya watched the man walk away - awkwardly, like Frankenstein - with a detached sense of amusement. "The underground must be booming with business," he observed, closing his eyes again.

Shinra mumbled his agreement. "In part, due to you, of course."

Izaya wiggeld around in his seat, throwing his arms up into the air. "Ah, how I love humans! So exciting, so interesting, the perfect subjects to study."

"So you've said before."

What's with him? Izaya opened his eyes. "Why did you call me over? You're usually so hung up on your darling Celty that you rarely call me over anymore!" He pouted. "Or you're enjoying cutting some poor simpleton to shreds and then patching him back together. So sadistic-like~"

Shinra smirked. He was sitting in the armchair, arms folded neatly on his knees. It was hard to imagine he'd just been stitching someone up just mere minutes ago. "Jealous, Izaya?"

"Not at all. Just an observation." Like he would be jealous of Celty. Bah! "So what is it? Did you get me a gift for my birthday?~"

"Why would I do that?"

Izaya yawned, stretching before he sat up. "So cold," he whined.

"We both know why I called you over."

Izaya's hands slipped into his pocket, feeling the cold shaft of his knife against his warm skin. He rubbed his finger along the drying blood. "Ah, the new war? Isn't it just grand? It took me a bit longer than I had hoped to plot it all out, but it's going to be even better than the last! Your business will skyrocket." Izaya's eyes narrowed. Shinra was still staring at him, devoid of emotion. "Aren't I a good friend?"

"You should stop the war."

His lips quirked up. "So predictable, Shinra. Did your beloved ask you to talk to me? Or did you decide to act on your own? No, no, it must have been Celty; you were never keen on the matters of humanity before. Even though Shizu-chan is your friend too, you would never act like this for him~"

Shinra leaned forward, pushing his glasses back on the bridge of his nose. They glinted in the light. "As is Mikado-kun."

"His charms are hard to resist."

"He's not a toy to play with, Izaya."

"I know."

"Then why are you doing this? Starting a war in his name isn't exactly going to endear him to you. Stressing him out isn't going to make him decide he wants to be yours."

"It could." He shrugged. "After all, you helped conceal Celty's head and she still loves you~"

Shinra stiffened - ah, bingo! "All I am is asking is to go about this a different way."

Izaya stood. "No, I don' think I will. This is just too perfect as it is. Why change a perfect plan?"

Shinra stood too, catching Izaya's shoulder before he could turn. "I won't help you."

He turned the knife in his pocket more. "I know. Celty comes before everyone, even your old best friend~"

His hand dropped. "I just thought I would let you know."

"Thank you, but your help isn't needed. I can do this myself." He mock bowed. "Tell the lady of the house hello for me. I will see you later, Shinra-kun."

He let himself out. What a disappointment. It had played out just as he had imagined. Shinra was getting duller and duller. He rubbed his thumb over his blade. He would make this war even better than the last; and he would win Mikado.

No matter what it took.


End file.
